This publication contains the proceedings of a workshop on the importance of soil health in agriculture, which was held at Wollongbar Agricultural Institute on 20–21 June 2001. The workshop was organised by NSW Agriculture (now NSW Department of Primary Industries), with the generous assistance of Acid Soil Action.

The main topics covered by the presentations made at the workshop are:

• Soil health: a systems approach to soils
• Soil biology and its importance in healthy soils
• Soil chemistry and physics and their influence on soil health
• Soil health and farm management

The document can be downloaded in full or in parts. It can also be purchased from the bookshop.

The table of contents appears below.

List of contents

Opening address
Helen Scott-Orr, NSW Agriculture Orange

Soil health: a systems approach to soils
Peter Slavich, NSW Agriculture Wollongbar

Soil biology and its importance in healthy soils

• Soil biology and its importance in soil health
  Marcelle Stirling, Biological Crop Protection Brisbane
• Soil fauna and the sustainability of arable soils:  the earthworm viewpoint
  Tim Kingston, Soil Mates Unlimited Launceston
• Role of organic amendments in disease control
  Percy Wong, NSW Agriculture Richmond
• Molecular techniques for measuring soil microbial diversity
  Tony Vancov, NSW Agriculture Wollongbar
• Biologically active soils help suppress nematode pests
  Graham Stirling, Biological Crop Protection Brisbane

Soil chemistry and physics and their influence on soil health

• The good, the bad and the ugly: copper and arsenic in soils
  Graham Merrington, University of Adelaide
• Metal contaminant bioavailability in Australian soils
  Mark Whatmuff, NSW Agriculture Richmond
• Nutrient management for healthy soils
  Warwick Dougherty, NSW Agriculture Richmond
• The role of organic carbon in soil chemistry
  Ian Vimpany, Alstonville
• Soil structure: the key to sustainable agro-ecosystem management
  Gunnar Kirchhof, NSW Agriculture Tamworth

Soil health and farm management

• Soil health in north coast agriculture:  assessment and rehabilitation
  Lukas Van Zwieten, NSW Agriculture Wollongbar
• Organic agriculture soil health strategies
  Robyn Neeson, NSW Agriculture Yanco
• Soil organic carbon and soil structure: implications for the soil health of agro-ecosystems
  Yin Chan, NSW Agriculture Wagga Wagga
• Using soil tests to make fertiliser recommendations that will keep soils healthy and productive
  Greg Fenton, NSW Agriculture Wagga Wagga
• From mining waste to artificial soil
  Justine Cox, NSW Agriculture Wollongbar
• Organic cereal growing and soil health: A discussion paper
  Jeff Evans, NSW Agriculture Wagga Wagga
• Natural growing systems: horticulture and soil health
  Neil Treverrow, NSW Agriculture Alstonville
• Soil extension tools and methodologies
  Abigail Jenkins, NSW Agriculture Wollongbar