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SFS: a Regeneration

Writer's picture: Soil Fertility Services LtdSoil Fertility Services Ltd
 

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Those familiar with Robert Plumb (Plumbo), the visionary founder of SFS, will be aware of his profound understanding and love of all things soil. "What that man didn't know about soil isn't worth knowing." For many years, I was fortunate to learn directly from him, often engaging in stimulating discussions that deepened my own comprehension of all things soil.


That being said, since 2018, Roberts's personal circumstances kept him otherwise engaged, and unbeknownst to the rest of you, out in farming land, SFS has had to learn to run itself. Product development continued, and the SFS team came together in unison to keep flying the Bio' logical flag. For quite some time Robert wanted very much to step back from SFS, but he couldn't until the right type of buyer came along. So, after over a year's worth of negations, Dale and Craig Turner finally became the owners of SFS. They were local brothers from a packaging background with a similar ethos to SFS. Part of the delay was that they wanted to be certain that the company could run without Plumbo before committing. They were, and here we are…


It is deeply frustrating to witness the emergence of the self proclaimed 'experts' who belatedly discover principles that Soil Fertility Services (SFS) has championed for nearly three

decades. Extolling the virtues of regenerative practices and emphasising proactivity over reactiveness. Amazing, is the UK truly only now awakening to the critical importance of soil health? These pronouncements often originate from individuals boasting conventional agricultural credentials, having navigated the rigid frameworks of FACTS and BASIS – systems that fail to acknowledge the fundamental concept of soil cation exchange capacity. Their newfound zeal for soil testing appears primarily driven by the prospect of accessing government subsidies rather than a genuine understanding of soil dynamics. As a wise mentor of mine once observed, "Leading from the front inevitably attracts criticism." When Plumbo founded SFS, today's self-styled 'gurus' were still in their academic infancy. Don't get me wrong, some genuinely exceptional advisors are out there, many of whom have been through our stable and benefited from SFS's insights. However, I am deeply concerned by the rise of these 'wannabe gurus.' These individuals, having merely regurgitated the knowledge of others, mistakenly believing themselves to be authorities. True expertise in this field demands a fusion of knowledge and experience. A specialist understands the theoretical framework, critically evaluates analytical data, and considers many influencing factors, including pH, nutrient ratios, sampling conditions, cropping history, soil structure, and cultivation practices.


My concern extends beyond the dissemination of inaccurate information. What is genuinely detrimental is the dilution of genuine knowledge by this ' pseudo-gurus'. So, what about SFS? Plumbo's not gone! He's still in the background with his feet up if we need him, enjoying a muchearned retirement. I suppose I'm trying to say that SFS is still here, still doing what we do, still the innovators and not the imitators. The new ownership finally allows us to take SFS to the level Robert always dreamed of. N.I.A.B trials are underway on the Bio-N, and to bolster our bio-positive message, the website and product information have all been refreshed. Behind the scenes,


We have been putting improved systems in place for production and streamlining many of our existing processes. The SFS goal for now and beyond is to promote more bio positive agricultural practices and support our customers along their re-gen journey by helping today's plant and tomorrow's soil.

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