Online training turns soil results into action

Date published: 22 October 2025

Páraic McNeill farms around 80 acres near Annaclone, Co. Down. The beef and sheep enterprises are built on good grass and more recently clover and multispecies sward management. This requires good soil management.

Regular soil sampling was always a part of the job for Páraic and his father, primarily focussing on maintaining good pH levels through spreading lime.

When Páraic joined Zone 1 of the Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS), he welcomed the chance to get free soil sampling, but it was the online training that helped him make the most of the results.  He said: “I found the online training very easy to understand and follow. It was great that you didn’t have to do it all at once, you do a bit here and there when things were quiet and just pick back up where you left off last time.

“The videos were very helpful and practical for a visual learner,” added Páraic. “I found the videos easier to follow and listen to than having to read a lot of material. This approach made it easier to take the information from his soil results and use it in real management decisions on farm.”

The practical step-by-step approach helped Páraic move beyond simply reading the results of his soil analysis to putting the results into action. “The first thing people look for in the results is pH, phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) but with the training it was good to get a better understanding of what level of sulphur, calcium and magnesium are in my soils and how that effects soil health. When you know what is happening below your feet, it makes the decisions above ground easier,” he said.

Commenting on the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise’s (CAFRE’s) online Soil Nutrient Health Scheme training, Mary Ann Alexander said: “The course has been developed to support farmers like Páraic. It offers farmers an understanding of their soil analysis and increases their knowledge around soil. Through a series of short videos and quizzes, training will help farmers to understand and interpret their SNHS soil analysis report, make best use of organic manures, and learn how to create a Nutrient Management Plan.”

To complete your Soil Nutrient Health Training online, visit the CAFRE website.

For those who do not have access to online training there is provision of face-to-face delivery which will follow a similar format as the training provided online. More dates for training will be announced in due course. Please note that pre-registration for these events will be essential.