The SoilCare project has produced the following guidance leaflets to help farmers with their journey to soil-improving cropping systems

		10 common practices and their harmful impact on soil		10 Steps to Soil-improving cropping systems (SICS)			Adapter ses pratiques a la nature de son sol   (available in French only).
		Available in French, Spanish, Greek, Polish, German and English.		Available in French, German, Estonian and Spanish

Factsheet exploring the practices which are likely to reduce or alleviate soil pollution and contamination.		Factsheet exploring the cropping systems which can reduce soil erosion		Factsheet exploring the cropping systems which can reduce soil compaction		Factsheet exploring the cropping systems which can prevent waterlogging
Available in French, German and Spanish.		Available in French, German and Spanish.		Available in French, German and Spanish.		Available in French, German, and Spanish.
Factsheet exploring the cropping systems which can increase soil biodiversity		Factsheet exploring the cropping systems which can prevent flooding		Factsheet outlining the SICS which can increase soil organic matter
Available in French, German and Spanish.		Available in French, German and Spanish.		Available in French, German and Spanish

Farmers who adopt zero tillage (or 'no-till') use direct drilling to sow seeds into the soil without ploughing it. Whilst zero tillage, in combination with mulching/retention of stubbles, can reduce soil erosion, it can also increase the reliance of herbicides for pest control. 

The following table provides some resources which may be useful to farmers considering whether to adopt zero tillage on their farms:

Crop rotations have been part of agricultural practice in Europe since the middle ages and are important in protecting the land against soil erosion, pathogen build-up and pressure from disease and weeds.  Crop rotations generally have a positive effect on soil functioning, compared to monocultures, which is mainly due to the suppression of soil-borne diseases and weed infestations. Crop rotations also tend to have a positive effect on soil structure and soil tilth, because of the diversity of rooting patterns and soil organic matter sources.  Root crops in crop rotations often have a negative effect on soil structure due to the disturbance of soil structure during harvesting and the low amounts of residual biomass left in the soil. This effect may be mitigated/restored again by a subsequent cereal crop or oilseed crops.  

General Principles for crop rotations:

From Building Soils for Better Crops (2000; Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es), chapter 11, “Crop Rotation,” pp. 102–3:

• Follow a legume crop with a high nitrogen demanding crop
• Grow less nitrogen demanding crops in the second or third year after a legume sod
• Grow the same annual crop for only one year 
• Don’t follow one crop with another closely related species
• Use crop sequences that promote healthier crops
• Use crop sequences that aid in controlling weeds
• Use longer periods of perennial crops on sloping land
• Try to grow a deep-rooted crop as part of the rotation
• Grow some crops that will leave a significant amount of residue
• When growing a wide mix of crops, try grouping into blocks according to the plant family, the timing of crops, (all early season crops together, for example), type of crop (root vs. fruit vs. leaf), or crops with similar cultural practices

The table below provides links to existing practical information on the use of cover crops in agriculture.   

Title	Language	Country	Format	Description	Organisation
Crop Rotation: Practical Information	EN	Europe	Video	Video demonstrating why and how to design a good crop rotation
Tips for Sequencing Crops	EN	USA	Guidance document	A simple summary of steps to planning a crop rotation	SARE
Planning and Implementing Crop Rotations	EN	UK	Case study/video	Vlog format case study of Dayelsford Organics focusing on organic crop rotations	Agricology
Rotations	EN	UK	Guide	Short overview of the decision of using rotations	Frontier Ag
Arable Cropping & the Environment - a guide: Rotations	EN	UK	Guide	Provides how a well-planned crop rotation can benefit the farmer and also any risks	Defra
Organic Arable Productions: Crop Rotations	EN	UK	Factsheet	Provides an example of a 6 year organic rotation along with key details about crop rotations	Soil Association
Crop Rotation Effects on Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition	EN	UK	Article	Details the basics surrounding nutrient release from different crops that can be used in rotations and the best crops to use dependant on different nutrient uptakes	SARE
Crop Rotation	EN	Europe	Website	Suggests accompanying EU Documentation and why certain crop rotations should be used	Low impact farming
Redesigning cropping systems in three French regions	EN	France	Case study	Follows 3 different case studies in France with various current cropping systems used	Endure Network
Integrated Crop Management: Crop Rotation	EN	UK	Guide	Covers a wide range of crop rotation details along with different crops and where their place should be in rotational planning	Defra
Crop Rotations and Crop Planning	EN	US	Article	Details information surrounding crop rotations and why it should be done
Crop Rotation	EN	Europe	Guide	Focuses on the benefits to farmers, and crop rotation vs crop diversification along with CAP barriers to farmers	FOE Europe

There are several soil-related problems that can be alleviated through well-managed trafficking, including soil erosion, compaction, SOM matter loss, biodiversity declines, salinization, flooding, and desertification.

Controlled trafficking can minimise risks of soil compaction and erosion by reducing the weight and/or frequency of machinery passing across the soil. 

Potential ways of managing trafficking include changing the size of machinery, adjusting tyre pressures, drilling across slopes, keeping equipment to headlands, adopting a controlled trafficking system, reducing tillage, and avoiding trafficking during wet periods.  

Further information about trafficking is available here: