Organic Matter Really Matters

There are no magic bullets in agriculture but if you were aware that a substance in your soil could increase productivity, reduce pest pressure, enhance water use efficiency, reduce fertiliser requirements and spare the planet the chaos of global warming, you might prick up your ears and listen. This "magic" substance actually exists but it is not some commercial "cure-all". It is, in fact, an essential component of soil that has been mercilessly mined for twelve decades of extractive agriculture.

http://www.nutri-tech.com.au/blog/2012/10/organic-matter-really-matters/