Ahead of Groundswell Festival, we’ve pulled together all we know about biological inputs—including results from a year of independent on-farm trials—into one practical guide. Here’s what’s in it, and where to find us!
Biological inputs are everywhere right now, and the market is crowded with products promising better soil and bigger yields. Confusingly, biostimulants don’t currently have to provide evidence of efficacy, so working out which ones are backed by real evidence and which are just well-marketed isn’t always straightforward, particularly with timing and application playing such a big part in whether a product actually works.
It’s knowing which ones are backed by real evidence and how to make the most of them—and avoid wasting both time and money.
That’s exactly why we’ve put together a new guide: Biological Inputs: Building Soil Health from the Ground Up.
What’s in the guide
It covers what biological inputs actually are (microbial and non-microbial alike), how they differ from biostimulants and soil amendments, and why none of them will deliver a return until your soil’s physics and chemistry are sorted first.
We’ve also pulled together headline findings from the Terrafarmer Biologicals Project, our nine-month, Innovate UK-funded trial across five Welsh farms, alongside independent research on products including Sea2Soil, BioVigour8, BIOCAT, Kelp Crofters, L-CBF Boost and BetterGrass. There’s a goal-based product table and a case study from Nant y Bach Farm in West Wales, where synthetic nitrogen use has dropped from 300kg/ha to 80kg/ha without losing profitability.
No hype, no blanket recommendations. Just what the independent evidence shows, and where it varied from farm to farm. As our own Hugo Ellis puts it, mistiming these products can waste both time and money, so understanding the evidence matters as much as the product itself.
Get the guide
Simply fill in the short form at the bottom of this page, and we’ll send the full 16-page guide straight to your inbox.
Catch us at Groundswell
If you’d rather talk about biological inputs face-to-face, come and find us on stand G15.5 at Groundswell Festival from 1-2 July. The team will be on hand across the two days to chat through what’s worked on trial farms, and what might suit yours.
We’re here to help
Choosing the right biological input for your system definitely isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision; it depends on your soil, your goals, and what’s already holding your farm back. If you’d like to talk through what the trial data means for your farm, get in touch with the Terrafarmer team. We’ll be glad to help, at Groundswell or at another time that’s convenient.
About the author
After studying at Newcastle University, Will worked as an agronomist for six years, delivering regenerative farming advice alongside SFI and soil consultancy. His passion is supporting farmers on their transition to regenerative farming systems, particularly integrating livestock and arable systems to create more robust and resilient businesses.
About the author
After studying at Newcastle University, Will worked as an agronomist for six years, delivering regenerative farming advice alongside SFI and soil consultancy. His passion is supporting farmers on their transition to regenerative farming systems, particularly integrating livestock and arable systems to create more robust and resilient businesses.
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Biological Inputs Guide
Our 16-page practical guide to biological inputs
A practical guide to what biological inputs are, what the independent evidence shows, and how they can work harder on your farm.
