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Catherine MasseyBusselton Dunsborough Times
GeoCatch officer Bree Brown with farmer Ross Prater and agronomist Grahame Mussell inspect pasture after alternative fertiliser regime was adopted in response to soil testing. Photo: Supplied
Camera IconGeoCatch officer Bree Brown with farmer Ross Prater and agronomist Grahame Mussell inspect pasture after alternative fertiliser regime was adopted in response to soil testing. Photo: Supplied Credit: :

Geographe farmers appreciate the chance to learn about their paddocks via the annual summer soil testing program with GeoCatch.

The program has been running for the past decade and experienced an overflow of interest in the last five years.

Farmers say they would recommend it to anyone interested to know more about their soil and how to be more fertiliser-efficient.

GeoCatch project officer Kim Archer said better management of soil helped save money on fertiliser and reduced nutrients entering rivers and Geographe Bay.

“Many farmers have been surprised to find they have adequate phosphorus levels across much of the farm and could divert their dollars to addressing other nutrients limiting production,” she said. In the last five years, an estimated 730kg of phosphorus was prevented from entering the waterways each year due to improved fertiliser management.

Visit estuaries.dwer.wa.gov. au/strategies/sustainable-agriculture/soil-testing.

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