A SERIES of on-farm seminars is being held around Cumbria to help farmers reverse the soil damage caused by years of wet summers.

Lancashire soil expert James Bretherton will visit three farms in the county next month to address problems poor farmland can cause to forage productivity and livestock health and performance.

In very wet conditions over recent years, damage to soil structure has been caused in many fields by grazing animals, silage-making and slurry spreading equipment Organised by The Farmer Network and DairyCo, the free events are scheduled for:

* Sept 2 at Greystone House, Kings Meadburn, Penrith, 10,30am-1.30pm;

* Sept 3 at The Gill, Dalston, Carlisle, 10.30am-1.30pm; and

* Sept 3 at Hall Beck, Killington, between Kendal and Sedbergh, 7.30pm-10pm.

Lunch or supper will be provided. For more details, call 01768-868615.

Meanwhile, scientists at Lancaster University are leading research into ways of using sustainable fertilisers from renewable energy waste to improve soil condition.

They believe their work on digestates – derived from anaerobic digestion and ash from burnt biomass - could reduce costs to farmers and potentially, with wide-spread take-up, help to slow down rising food prices.

The project’s leader, Professor Kirk Semple from the Lancaster Environment Centre, said: “The aim of this research is to modify the by-products from anaerobic digestion and biomass energy plants to create a new, safe and sustainable source of nutrients for agriculture.

“This would reduce pressure on natural resources and develop a new market for problematic by-products of the bio-energy industry.”

Co-researcher Dr Ben Herbert, a director at Stopford Energy and Environment, a consultancy based at Lancaster University, said: “This research has the potential to transform the long-term economic viability of the bio-energy sector by turning by-products, which at present have limited commercial value, into saleable land conditioners for use in agriculture.”