Abstract
Population growth, increasing drought, and natural resources degradation are significant global issues. Fortunately, management practices to improve soil health can address many of these issues in ways that are both good for the farmer and the environment. In 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service initiated its “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil” campaign to assist farmers and ranchers with adopting soil health systems. Other notable efforts at the federal level include research and education projects by USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. The importance of improving soil health is also recognized far beyond federal government programs. The Soil Health Institute, a nonprofit charity, was established to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and adoption. Crop commodity organizations are promoting soil health, such as the Soil Health Partnership. The Nature Conservancy is helping companies and private landowners incorporate soil health into their sustainability efforts. Such efforts are supported by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, as well as by some of the leading global food companies such as General Mills. These are just a few of the many efforts to improve soil health in the USA. The significance of the expanding global population, natural resource challenges, and responsibilities to current and future generations truly make enhancing soil health a global imperative.
Highlights
The world population is predicted to grow by another two billion by 2050, yet many of the soils on which we rely to grow food have lost about half of the basic building block that makes them productive
In 2012, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) officially launched an “Unlock the Secrets in the Soil Campaign” that included strategic media efforts for delivering core messages to raise awareness and drive adoption, including: Healthy soils are high-performing, productive, resilient soils; Healthy soils save money, improve land conditions, and help landowners generate income; and There are many on-farm and off-farm environmental and wildlife benefits associated with improving soil health
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Outreach program addresses a wide range of sustainability topics, but cover crops and soil health have been the single biggest area of activity for the program in recent years
Summary
The world population is predicted to grow by another two billion by 2050, yet many of the soils on which we rely to grow food have lost about half of the basic building block that makes them productive (i.e., organic matter). Soil health is often defined as the continued capacity of a soil to function as a vital, living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans. Such functions include infiltrating rainfall, providing nutrients and water to plants, cycling and sequestering carbon, decomposing and filtering contaminants, suppressing plant diseases, and others. C. Wayne HONEYCUTT et al Soil health programs in the USA recently received elevated attention and renewed importance in the USA.
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