The National Soils Strategy was a surprising but welcome addition to the 2021 Federal budget, developed in an effort to protect a national asset that supports not only the economy, but life in Australia. By way of monitoring and maintaining soils, the government is offering to buy soil off of local landholders to capture a snapshot of its state. 

A new program within the National Soils Strategy launched this month, asking famers and landholders to share their historical soil test data in exchange, with $21 million available to landholders wanting to contribute. 

Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud said that the information will also assist those landholders by benchmarking their soil against regional or type averages. 

“We know there is a lot of privately held soil data captured for agricultural management and other purposes. This program aims to gather and preserve soil data and make it centrally and publicly available for others to use.” he said. 

“Better soil data will lead to improved research, technology and policy outcomes and will benefit all Australians.” Mr Littleproud said. 

In Australia, ancient soils that are typically low in organic matter and nutrients are susceptible to erosion, and further compounded by climate change, pressure to increase production and a growing population, soil is vulnerable to many challenges. 

While it is hard to accurately quantify the cost of soil erosion in Australia, according to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the ENvironment the cost of dust storms alone in New South Wales is estimated at $9 million per year. 

More recently it has been estimated that about 33 per cent of global soil is degraded.

The National Soils Strategy, which is Australia’s first national policy on soil, is hoped to contribute to the agriculture sector’s goal of being a $100 billion industry by 2030. 

Within the $214.9 million plan, funding has been allocated including $467 million for the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund, which aims to support the diversion of household and commercial food and garden organic waste from landfill to soil through expanding facilities. 

In many small communities like those across the Western Plains, the diversion of food waste, like recycling, has so far been unattainable.

A further $18 million will be directed to soil extension activities, encouraging farmers to test their soil and help them interpret and act on results. 

The tenders for farmers and landholders to sell their historical soil test data can be found here.