Agricultural Extension Offering Free Soil Testing and Plant Diagnostic Services
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July regularly marks the beginning of the most bountiful season for Massachusetts agriculture, and farmers aren’t just thinking about putting food on plates. They must also manage plant health and make sure their soil is ready for next year’s crops. Thanks to fiscal year 2025 legislative funding for the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Extension program, two of Extension’s most sought-after services—soil testing and plant diagnostics—are now free to the Commonwealth’s farmers in limited quantities.
The soil lab meets the needs of everyone from backyard gardeners to landscapers and commercial farmers. “You tell us what you want to grow—apples, or turf, or carrots—and we tell you if your soil has the right nutrients and pH, and how to improve it if it needs improvement,” says Sam Glaze-Corcoran, the soil lab’s manager. These recommendations reduce fertilizer costs, optimize productivity, support increased soil health and carbon sequestration, detect dangerous metals, support compliance with state nutrient management regulations and help prevent excess nutrients from entering the environment.
The UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab, on the other hand, focuses on the health of the plants themselves. It serves farmers, greenhouse producers, landscape contractors, turf managers, arborists, nurseries and others in agriculture and the green industries. Samples with disease or insect damage are analyzed through a variety of methods in the lab, and when a diagnosis or identification has been made, the lab will email a written report including pest management strategies that are research-based, economically sound, and environmentally appropriate for the situation.
Clem Clay, director of the UMass Extension Agriculture Program, said “We are grateful to the Massachusetts legislature, including local leaders Sen. Jo Comerford and Rep. Mindy Domb and now-retired Rep. Paul Schmid of Westport, for strong support of UMass Extension in the FY25 budget process. We know that the legislature and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources share our goal of supporting Massachusetts farmers. We hope that using state funds to eliminate fees will encourage more farms to take advantage of these services that expand knowledge and boost farmer success.”
The offer is limited to Massachusetts farmers who normally produce agricultural products worth at least $1,000 in a year, and includes urban farmers and nonprofit organizations engaged in farming. Farmers may request vouchers that can be redeemed for the following services:
- Routine soil analysis with organic matter
- Pre-sidedress soil nitrate test (PSNT)
- Total Sorbed Metals (TSM) test for lead, nickel, cadmium, chromium, zinc, copper and arsenic
- Soilless media extract (SME) test for greenhouses
- Plant tissue nutrient test with nitrogen
- Disease diagnostics for tree fruit, small fruit, vegetables, and floriculture
Quantities of each type of test are limited and the total value of requests per farm is capped at $300. Initial review of applications will begin on Aug. 4. Applications received by then will have an advantage for services in high demand. Any vouchers not awarded in the initial batch will be allocated in regular batches thereafter until they are gone. Farmers are encouraged to make requests as soon as possible, and all vouchers must be used by December 31, 2026.
For all details of the program and an application form for eligible farmers, please visit UMass Extension’s Soil and Plant Services page.
This story was originally published by the UMass News Office.