Soil pH across many farms has improved because of increased lime use in recent years, according to new report published today (Monday, March 9).

The report by Teagasc shows that last year the proportion of soils below the critical pH threshold of 6.2 fell to 44%.

It highlights that more soils are moving towards recommended phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) ranges and the proportion meeting agronomic fertility targets has increased.

According to Teagasc correcting soil pH remains "a critical first step in improving nutrient availability and nitrogen use efficiency".

During 2025, Teagasc analysed over 39,000 soil samples, approximately 90% of which were from grassland systems.

It found that dairy farms continue to perform comparatively better - reflecting higher nutrient inputs and stocking intensity.

However, soil fertility deficits remain widespread across drystock and tillage systems, with a significant proportion of soils still below recommended agronomic ranges.

The report published today (Monday, March 9) highlights that the reasons for these deficits include "lower nutrient imports, economic constraints, and limited access to organicmanures".

Based on its analysis Teagasc has advised farmers that soil fertility reflects "long-term management decisions and cumulative nutrient balances rather than short-term changes in fertiliser use alone".

Farms

Teagasc has now launched a new 'Soil Analysis Status and Trends Dashboard' which it said will help farmers, advisors and policymakers to track changes in soil pH, P and K across different farms, counties and land types.

The dashboard features soil pH, P and K results from more than 800,000 samples analysed since 2006.

National fertiliser sales data show that following the substantial decline in fertiliser use following the 2022 price shock, there has been only a partial recovery in nutrient inputs.

According to Teagasc recovery has been "strongest for nitrogen, while phosphorus and potassium use remain below historical norms".

"The modest improvements observed in soil P and K indices indicate that soil fertility can continue to progress during periods of reduced chemical fertiliser use due to the cumulative nature of soil nutrient dynamics," it added.

But Teagasc has also warned that the persistence of a large proportion of soils at P and K Index 1 and 2 indicates that, for many farms, "current nutrient inputs remain insufficient to fully address legacy deficits or sustain longterm fertility without continued investment".