Soil is the most valuable natural asset on any property and is a critical asset to agriculture production and natural biodiversity. Across Eyre Peninsula, we have 15 main soil groups ranging from calcareous soils, hard red-brown soils over alkaline sub soils, deep loamy textured soils, and deep sands to ironstone soils.

Each soil type and its position in the landscapes presents its own opportunities and challenges for management. For example, calcareous soils generally have inherently low fertility and limit the availability of phosphorus and trace elements, lighter sandy soils are inherently prone to wind erosion, and loamy soils on steep slopes can be prone to water erosion while poorly structured soils in low rainfall areas can express patches of dry saline land.

Whilst many of these soil management issues result from inherent soil characteristics, these risks can be exacerbated by human activity. For example, the risk of wind erosion is increased where surface cover levels are low which can result from cultivation, poor seasonal conditions for crops or overgrazing. Find out more about local soil management.

Statewide soils projects
We’re involved in a statewide soils project that aims to equip land managers with an understanding of the latest soil science plus how test results can help with on-farm actions to improve soil health or constraints.

PICTURED: Brett Masters (right) from EP Ag Research is working with us on this project and has been presenting soils management information in soil pits to farmers during crop walks at Edillilie, Elliston, Franklin Harbour and Verran. Here he is with soil scientist Rodrigo C. da Silva from University of South Australia.

Brett has also been providing technical soils management information to landholders and advisors among a few other projects with Ag Innovation and Research EP.

Next year demonstration sites will be established to look at improving soil cover and possible fertiliser carryover/availability following a dry year. Brett will also host some pre-seeding events in March and a soil pit field walk with Franklin Harbour landholders.

If you have any queries about interpreting soil test results for agricultural production or managing soils issues in the region, Brett can be contacted on 0427 899 328.

Advance notice: a series of introduction to carbon farming workshops will be held in late March next year across the EP.

These workshops will help landholders understand how carbon farming can complement agriculture practices and benefit businesses. 

These are being held as part of a statewide Carbon Farming Outreach Program, delivered with funding support from the Commonwealth of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

RSVP and location details to be added closer to the date. For further information or to register your interest, please contact amy.wright@airep.com.au or call 0467 004 555.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) has a Weed Control Business Grant open until the end of January, to help people on Eyre Peninsula establish or grow businesses that provide weed control services.

The grant program aims to build local capacity to help respond to current and future weed incursions. It provides a rebate for various training, equipment and licensing. See the PIRSA Weed Control Business Grant page for more details.

Back in 2016, a new water allocation plan for Eyre Peninsula groundwater resources was finalised. We are now undertaking a revision of this plan, to ensure it’s finalised by mid-2026.

Based on the latest monitoring of rainfall and groundwater levels - and due to increasing risks from salinity – underground water resources in our basins will no longer be able to meet the demands for local water supply, therefore allocations are very likely to change at the end of this revision.

Licence holders have an allocation and are entitled to take water for mains water supply, irrigated agriculture, industrial use, and for recreational use such as watering of golf courses. However, the water source is not unlimited and we need to adjust these allocations accordingly during the plan revision.

This week we met with water users in both of the Prescribed Wells Areas to get their feedback on the plan revision.

We encourage all local water users to have their say during this revision process by:

• undertaking surveys at yoursay.sa.gov.au/ep-wap-revision
• writing to us via email at EPLBAdmin@sa.gov.au
• post a submission to Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, Program Manager Water, PO Box 2916, Port Lincoln, SA 5606

Find out more about the plan and revision process in our FAQs. Consultation is open until February 14.

Sustainable agriculture is one of our five priorities at the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board - the others being biodiversity, pest plant and animal control, water and community.

As part of our sustainable agriculture program, we have a Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator who is available to provide a range of support, focused on facilitating partnerships and connections that help farmers, landholders and community groups work together to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Amy Wright is our facilitator, based in Kimba. These facilitators - located across Australia's regional areas - are supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

Local grower-led research and extension group, Ag Innovation and Research EP (AIR EP) is contracted to host the Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator role. Please reach out to Amy if you want to know more about how she can help you. Email amy.wright@airep.com.au or phone 0467 004 555.

We are also involved in a 12-month soils project with Brett Masters from EP Ag Research delivering this soil extension project with us – the soil article above gives an overview of what Brett has been doing. Brett can be contacted at brett@epagresearch.com.au or on 0427 899 328 if you’ve got a soil issue you think could benefit from being involved in the project.