LawrieCo

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Latest insights, learnings and 'how to' on Building & Trading Soil Organic Carbon.

LawrieCo's passion for rebuilding soil carbon dates back to prior to the formation of LawrieCo as a company. Back to the days when the 'R&D' to farm sustainably and to build fertility happened on Adrian Lawrie's broadacre cropping property on the edge of the Flinders Ranges. At this early stage the key drivers for rebuilding soil carbon were its value in building fertility, water-use efficiency and it's link to improved farm gross margins. 

Over the past 22 years, LawrieCo has evolved to offer a full range of fertility and soil carbon building programs in broadacre, grazing, turf and horticultural enterprises. Allowing landowners to adopt regenerative soil and plant nutrition practices and to participate in the Federal Governments paid soil carbon credit program - The Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). In recent years the barriers to entry to participating in the ERF for growers building soil carbon have been removed and the accessibility continues to further develop.

In the meantime the movement into regenerative Ag is gaining much momentum and the adoption of carbon saving or carbon building practice like 'no-till' has become a goal for many growers, who are realising the value of soil carbon for it's water holding properties.

Now is a great time to adopt LawrieCo's regenerative nutrition practices and commence building soil carbon for improved farm productivity and consider joining the ERF scheme for a second income stream.

Introducing LawrieCo's Soil Carbon Regeneration System - click here for an overview.

Soil Organic Carbon is Profitable 

CSIRO Land and Water report indicates Soil Organic Carbon Levels impact on Farm Gross Margin Profit - Wagga Wagga NSW.

Multiple Soil Organic Carbon tests were taken from 35 properties and correlated with GM Profit.

1% SOIL ORGANIC CARBON
$160 / CM PROFIT
2% SOIL ORGANIC CARBON
$380 / GM PROFIT

Soil Health, Carbon Decline and Microbial Imbalance 

Victorian DPI Walpeup Research station shows a decline in key soil health parameters including microbial imbalances over 80 years.

In 1925: Soil health in 1925 was close to ideal as assessed by the soil health assessments (70-90% of optimal). Important soil microbes Active Bacteria : Active Fungi were in ideal ratios to each other (1:1)

By 2005: The soil health assessments have declined to 20-40% of the optimal levels. Active Fungi have declined to less than 50% of optimum whereas Active Bacteria have increased to 200% of optimum

Soil health decline impacts on productivity:
Until 1960, soil Carbon Bacteria & Fungi were at good levels and their relative ratio was ideal.  Alarmingly in 2005 Fungi levels are now only 10% of Bacteria, i.e. F1 : B10. This represents a severe loss of soil health, impacting on the soil’s water holding capacity, structure and plant resilience in low rainfall years.

Click here for an introduction to LawrieCo's Soil Carbon Regeneration System, or contact your LawrieCo Area Sales Manager for more information. Click here for contact details.

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