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SMA Mineral is Fair Transport certified
Fair Transport is the transport industry’s sustainability certification of road freight transport and is our response to increased expectations from the outside world on our operations.
“I just pick up the phone”
Michael Isoz, a landowner and farmer near Trosa in Sörmland, sees considerable advantages in using liming to improve soil structure, and he has a good working relationship with SMA Mineral.
“Liming doesn’t solve every problem, but it does make life that bit easier and provides greater stability on a day-to-day basis,” he says.
Michael Isoz cultivates rapeseed, barley and wheat on the Åda estate outside Trosa. Apart from crop production, which is a special love of his, he runs a few side businesses – such as a golf course. Golf courses benefit from liming too, but that is another story.
That Michael became a farmer was no coincidence.
“I was born a farmer, I’ve grown up on a farm and I’m passionate about working the soil. But obviously there are challenges – the vagaries of the weather, for example. Why do I lime the soil? Well, if the soil doesn’t prosper, then nor do we. Liming increases the pH value, improves the structure of the soil and reduces nutrient loss,” says Michael.
And of course that produces results – in a number of ways.
“All attempts show that liming in order to improve soil structure means lower labour costs and a better harvest. It also provides benefit when there are changes in the weather – it improves stability and gives me a wider window of time to work within. Moreover, it makes pulling machinery easier. I wouldn’t say that I make money from it, but I do lose less,” says Michael.
Michael started working with SMA Mineral five or six years ago and feels it is an excellent arrangement.
“SMA Mineral show goodwill, and if any problems arise they resolve these promptly. The planning works well; I just pick up the phone and SMA Mineral sees to everything including spreading. All of the core agricultural land is now done and I won’t need to add more lime for another 10-15 years. But it’s important not to cheat with the tillage after spreading,” Michael says.
