Soil Nutrient Balances
Annual estimates of inputs and offtake of nitrogen and phosphorus on agricultural land.
Soil nutrient balances provide a method for estimating the annual nutrient loadings of nitrogen and phosphorus to agricultural soils. They give an indication of the potential risk associated with losses of nutrients to the environment; losses which can impact on air and water quality and on climate change. The nutrient balances are used as a high-level indicator of farming’s pressure on the environment and of how that pressure is changing over time. The balances do not estimate the actual losses of nutrients to the environment, but significant nutrient surpluses are directly linked with losses to the environment.
Nutrient balances are of direct relevance to policies relating to agriculture and the environment including climate change, air quality, water quality, and habitats and biodiversity.
Estimates for UK and England are produced on an annual basis. Production of soil nutrient balances for the regions of England was suspended following the 2020 edition to allow the methodology to be reviewed.
UK and England
Regions of England
Updates to this page
Last updated 30 November 2023 + show all updates
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To update the Soil Nutrient Balances series with estimates for 2022.
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First published.