Compost guide for farmers

Using Quality Compost to Benefit Crops, a new booklet published by WRAP, seeks to inform farmers and growers about quality compost. The booklet champions the use of compost that matches or exceeds BSI PAS 100 (the British Standards Institution's Publicly Available Specification for composted material).

According to the booklet, compost, a natural product made from garden and food waste, can help farmers in a number of ways. These include: helping to maintain soil moisture and improve soil structure; providing crucial, slow-release nutrients, such as nitrogen, which build soil fertility and increase long-term yield; and reducing the risk of erosion.

The booklet substantiates its claims by highlighting the results of WRAP-sponsored scientific trials on the use of compost with different crops, including potatoes, wheat, barley and sugar beet.

Anne O'Brien, Key Account Manager for WRAP's Organics Programme, said: "As scientific trials continue to demonstrate the value of quality compost for the agricultural industry, we wanted to highlight these benefits to farmers and growers.

"We hope that this new booklet will provide a useful introduction to the concept of using compost as part of soil and nutrient management plans, and encourage more farmers to consider using this sustainable, locally available product."