Soil Foodweb Inc.

Dr Elaine Ingham commenced her academic career at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA, with a double major in Biology and Chemistry (1974).  She then attained a Master of Science in Microbiology (1977) at Texas A & M University followed by a doctorate in microbiology (with an emphasis on soil) from Colorado State University (1981).

After having gained valuable hands on expertise working in extensive research projects at various other universities, Dr. Ingham decided to establish the first Soil Foodweb Inc. laboratory (1996) in Oregon, USA.

This commercial enterprise was created to help empower primary producers to take control of maintaining the health of their soil through the provision of expert analysis and advice.  The systems developed by Soil Foodweb Inc. to analyse soil micro-organisms and identify problem areas stems from Dr. Ingham’s many years of research focused on soil biology.  Not only are the problem areas for each client identified but also solutions are provided on how to rectify the problems in overworked or under-performing soils.  Her extensive knowledge in managing the soil food web to promote plant growth and reduce reliance on inorganic fertilisers and chemicals has helped growers worldwide to achieve true soil fertility.

The ongoing success reaped by farmers who adopted the Soil Foodweb Inc. methods as part of their farm regime has seen the company grow from strength to strength.  So much so that there are now Soil Foodweb Laboratories spread around the globe each delivering the same proprietary systems that were initially developed by their U.S. parent company and achieving similar outstanding results for growers. 

Soil Foodweb International (NZ)

Soil Foodweb International (NZ), an affliate of Soil Foodweb Inc was opened in Cambridge in 2003, supplying a laboratory and consulting service.  We now operate out of Roxburgh in Central Otago and work closely with Soil Foodweb International (Australia).

Since its inception, Soil Foodweb International NZ (SFI NZ) has been working with thousands of growers throughout both islands of New Zealand to improve the health and productivity of their soils.  Understanding soil health requires a detailed knowledge of which organisms occur, which ones are working, how many are present, and whether the soil food web has the right balance for the desired crop/plant.

At SFI NZ we assess soil, compost, compost tea, leaf, vermicast and various other biological products for micro-organisms (fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and mycorrhizal fungi).  With this information we are able to devise the right management plans tailored to your specific needs so as to achieve a sustainable, productive and low-input system. The large numbers of NZ samples that have been analysed by our laboratory has enabled SFI to gain a comprehensive understanding of micro-organism balance and function specific to the wide range of crops, soils and climates that are within New Zealand.

Working with many input suppliers and consultants we are able to adapt the farmers existing nutrient program to facilitate a smooth transition from traditional 'mineral only replacement' to biological production. This holistic approach ensures the complete system is revamped; creating healthy soil, crops, stock, and people. The team at SFI is fully committed to assisting growers achieve true sustainable soil fertility drastically minimizing the need for toxic and costly chemicals thereby enabling you to improve crop yields and the returns on your investment. 

We welcome the chance to talk to you so call the office for further discussion also feel free to download and print (the web version of) our brochure, available here.