LimeAssist

The Lime Assist tool is designed to help advisors and farmers make decisions on liming to address soil acidification.
 

LimeAssist

Background calculations, underpinned by years of credible research, occur to provide cropping and pasture farmers with information such as:

• How much lime to apply broadscale or as variable rates across paddocks.
• Compare lime and freight costs and quality of lime from VLPA lime quarries.
• Economic analysis using the additional costs and future expected benefits. Expected benefits involve predication of costs and future yield to compare the financial value (Or loss) of applying lime vs the scenario of No Lime (Nil action).
• Lime response curves based on the cropping or pasture acdification demonstrate when re-liming is required.
• Total pre-farm and on-farm greenhouse gas emissions the lime application is likely to generate.

Background

Cam Nicholson, Nicon Rural Services on behalf of SFS led a team in the development of the Lime Assist tool.

The original design was by economist Kerry Stott, Agriculture Victoria for the "Spatial variability of soil acidity and response to liming in cropped lands of the Victorian High Rainfall Zone" project.

The Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI), Federation University converted the excel calculator to an online version.

Yield response curves were created by trial work from SFS, McKillop Farm Management Group and Agriculture Kangaroo Island on many supporting farmer’s properties.

The Victorian Lime Producers Association (VLPA) provided access to contact details and specifications of their member’s lime products.

This calculator was supported by Southern Farming Systems, through funding from GRDC and the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program in 2021 and upgrades supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust in 2025.