New Aglime Quality Standard introduced
Agricultural Lime Association launches AQS to give farmers confidence in quality of lime products
THE Agricultural Lime Association (ALA) has created the Aglime Quality Standard (AQS) so that farmers can have confidence in the quality of the lime products they are buying. This new independent and voluntary standard is the first quality-assurance benchmark within the UK fertilizer sector for agricultural lime products.
The AQS is an industry-led initiative that requires all participating lime producers to undertake annual tests to ensure they are compliant with UK national or EU regulatory standards. The standard includes tests to measure reactivity, neutralizing value and fineness, as well as calcium and magnesium content. Reactivity, a new efficacy factor in the UK, measures the balance of neutralizing value and fineness, providing guidance on a product’s speed of reaction.
Maximizing mineral or organic nutrient efficiency in a balanced soil environment is key to optimizing yield potential, so it is crucial, therefore, that farmers have confidence in the specification of the inputs they are applying to their soil in order to get the best results.
Buying an AQS-accredited lime product will provide farmers with the reassurance that they are getting a very high-quality premium product that has been independently verified as meeting a recognized standard.
Registered producers with certificated products will be permitted to use the ‘AQS certified’ product logo for the specific sites, products, and materials that have qualified. The Mineral Products Association (MPA) will also issue a certificate, with one-year validity, specific to the producer, site or product.
Mick Stovin, chairman of the Agricultural Lime Association, commented: ‘The AQS provides farmers with added reassurance that the lime they are buying has been independently verified as meeting a recognized standard. Farmers need to have confidence in the specification of the inputs they are applying to their soil in order to get the results they require and expect.’
