Are organic arable rotations mining the soil?

Summary

Organic principles and standards emphasise the importance of practices that encourage long-term health and
fertility of agricultural soils. Effective crop rotation, cultivation regimes and organic fertiliser application are important elements of the organic approach. Whilst such practices can undoubtedly increase the soil’s health, their true impact is still uncertain, particularly with regard to soil nutrient and organic matter contents. The articles explains how modelling some organic rotations on UK farms as part of the OK-Net Arable project produced some challenging results.