Soil Health Week set to feature farm walks and workshops

Teagasc will host Soil Health Week from tomorrow (Monday, September 21) to Friday, September 25, to highlight the importance of healthy soils for sustainable agriculture, food production and the wider environment.

Soil Health Week will bring together farmers, advisers, researchers, students and members of the public through a programme of farm walks, school events, practical demonstrations, workshops, and online activities.

Throughout the week, Teagasc will focus on practical measures that can be taken to improve and protect soil health, including:

Knowing your soils;

Regularly assessing your soil health;

Avoiding compaction and erosion;

Supporting soil biodiversity;

Building soil organic matter;

Soil sampling and nutrient management.

Teagasc soil biology research officer at Johnstown Castle, Dr. Fiona Brennan said: “Soil Health Week is a celebration of one of our most important national resources.

“It aims to equip students, teachers, farmers and local communities with the skills and practical knowledge to assess and manage their soils in ways that protect soil health, now and into the future.

“It also gives an opportunity to recognise the work farmers and land managers are already doing to protect and improve their soils, making them more resilient while supporting food production and environmental health.”

Speaking in advance of Soil Health Week 2026, Teagasc soil and nutrition specialist, Veronica Nyhan said: “From saturated conditions to a prolonged drought, this year has really highlighted how much we ask of our soils.

“How our soils cope with these extremes depends, in part, on how well we manage them.

“Soil Health Week provides an opportunity for everyone to better understand our soils and how we can protect them into the future.”

Soil Health Week events

Events taking place during Soil Health Week include farm walks in counties Meath, Carlow, and Leitrim, as well as at Teagasc Oak Park.

There will also be a webinar on ‘The hidden life of soil’ on Monday, September 21, and on ‘Understanding soil health and the EU Soil monitoring law’ on Friday, September 25.

A a soil and sustainability farming event for local secondary school students will take place at the Munster agricultural society site in Curaheen, Co. Cork on Wednesday, September 23.

A soil health workshop is also planned to take place at Johnstown Castle in Co. Wexford on Friday, September 25.

More details on the events planned for the week and registration for the webinars are available on the Teagasc website.

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