Hi-Tech Ag nutrition agronomist Steave Petrie, originally from Albury, has been working with Blairs since last year.

"This is a great opportunity for both Blairs and Hi-Tech Ag, we are delighted to be working with a local family-owned business," Mr Petrie said.

"Blairs has a great understanding of the local area and we are trying to combine this knowledge with our expertise in soil and plant nutrition to bring local growers solutions to the various soil and plant health challenges they are facing."

Blairs and Hi-Tech Ag have been conducting soil tests in the area since last year and have uncovered a range of soil constraints that require different solutions.

"As we conducted more and more soil tests it became apparent that we needed a customisable solution to the varied constraints we were discovering," Mr Petrie said.

"One of the solutions is our Custom Restorer Blend.

"Restorer is a loose blend of various raw materials such as lime, gypsum, dolomite, carbon and silicates that is customised from individual soil test results and blended at Blairs facility in Walla.

"This means we can target specific problems without wasting grower money on something that doesn't need fixing."

Hi-Tech Ag uses the APAL Soil Lab in Adelaide for independent analysis.

In addition to their soil testing/interpretation service and Custom Restorer Blends, Hi-Tech Ag also has a full range of nutrition products.

This includes seed primers, biological inolculants, granular fertiliser blends, liquid fertilisers, animal health products as well as hay/silage treatments.

"Every product we apply is designed to be soil, plant and biology friendly. We achieve this by using silicates, humics, fulvics and other carbon-based products.

"We do this because our aim is to help the farmer build a soil that has improved nutrient capacity and cycling, biological function, soil structure, water and nitrogen use efficiencies and plant resilience."

Blairs could see the need for different solutions to the growing problems and constraints that farmers were facing. Simon Blair, of Blairs Produce, said: "As we gain a better understanding of how soil, plants and their biology interact we can see that using a conventional approach to farming is not going to work in the long run.

"Hi-Tech Ag brings us a more holistic approach to farming that is backed up by science and looks at all aspects of soil, plant and animal nutrition.

"They also bring with them a toolbox full of solutions."