Land: Soil
Further information: Publications
Contents
- The First Soil Action Plan for England: 2004-2006
- Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance Handbook for England
- Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance Guidance for Soil Management
- Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance Soil Protection Review
- Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Nineteenth Report: Sustainable Use of Soil
- Sustainable Use of Soil: Government Response to the Nineteenth Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
- Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Soil (The Soil Code)
- Rural Development Service Technical Advice Note: Soil texture
- Controlling soil erosion advice
Unless otherwise stated these publications are available free of charge from Defra Publications, Admail 6000, London SW1A 2XX. Tel: 08459 556000. Email: defra@cambertown.com.
Please quote the title and order code (PBxxxx) when requesting publications. See also our publications ordering information.
| The First Soil Action Plan
for England: 2004-2006 (PB9441) An Action Plan identifying 52 actions for Government and others to take forward to improve protection and management of soils within a range of land uses. Available online (PDF 465 KB) |
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| Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance
Handbook for England - 2006 Edition (PB11305) This handbook briefly explains the cross compliance requirements and standards for England which started in 2005, and the process for inspection and enforcement of cross compliance. With reference to soils, the 2006 edition of the Handbook has been updated to include detail on the Soil Protection Review and minor changes to GAEC standards on waterlogged soil and the management of land not in agricultural production. Separate guidance relating to soil management is also available. Available online (on Rural Payments Agency website) |
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| Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance
Guidance for Soil Management - 2006 Edition (PB11162) Guidance for farmers and land managers to help them meet GAEC soils conditions under cross compliance. It will help them manage their soils to improve their agricultural potential, while at the same time reducing the scope for negative impacts on the environment. The 2006 edition has been updated to take on board stakeholder feedback, and includes new sections on managing soils not in agricultural production and managing soils under set-aside. Available online (on Rural Payments Agency website) |
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| Single Payment Scheme: Cross Compliance Soil Protection Review, 2006 (PB11160) Template and guidance for farmers to complete their Soil Protection Review (SPR) as part of their cross compliance requirements. The purpose of the SPR is to demonstrate that land managers have recognised the soil problems on their land and documented how they will manage any problems identified. The template must be completed by 1 September of the year of entry into the scheme (commencing 2006) and implemented from 1 January the following year. Available online (on Rural Payments Agency website) |
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| Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution,
19th Report: Sustainable Use of Soil, 1996 A report detailing factors affecting soils in the UK, policy issues surrounding soil and recommendations including the development of a soil strategy. Available for £24.50 from The Stationery Office Ltd, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Please quote the title and ISBN (0101316526) when requesting this publication. See www.tso.co.uk/bookshop/bookstore.asp. |
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| Sustainable Use of Soil: Government
Response to the 19th Report of the Royal Commission on Environmental
Pollution, January 1997 Detailed response by the Government to the recommendations made in the RCEP report Sustainable Use of Soil. Available free of charge from: Soils Policy Team, Defra, Area 3C Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. Email: soils@defra.gsi.gov.uk. |
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| Code of Good Agricultural Practice for
the Protection of Soil (The Soil Code), revised 1998 (PB0617) A set of practices to help farmers and growers avoid causing long term damage to the soils which they farm, and to enhance their ability to support plant growth. Available online (PDF 1.8 MB - note large file size) |
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| Rural Development Service Technical Advice Note: Soil texture, 2006 A technical advice note explaining how to determine the texture of your soil. Available online (PDF 400 KB) |
Controlling soil erosion
A number of guides/advisory leaflets were published in the late-1990s/early-2000s outlining causes of soil erosion and offering practical advice on how to avoid and reduce this.
This guidance is now only available online and the individual leaflets on specific practices (PB3280, PB4091, PB4092, PB5820A-C) have been combined to form an overarching guide:
- Controlling soil erosion: a manual for the assessment and management of agricultural land at risk of water erosion in lowland England, revised September 2005. (PDF 650 KB)
- Controlling soil erosion: incorporating former advisory leaflets on the management of agricultural land, grazing livestock, wind, outdoor pigs and the uplands, revised September 2005. (PDF 950 KB)
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Page last modified: 15 May 2008
Page published: 24 February 2004