Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. And USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to promote the benefits and importance of soil health.
Plus, this year the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is celebrating its fifth anniversary and the foundational collaborations that developed the program. SHP was founded by a diverse group of organizations with a shared vision of developing a farmer-led research network to measure the impacts of implementing soil health practices on working farms. This program is based on work supported by NRCS.
SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.
Understanding soil health means assessing and managing soil so that it functions optimally now and is not degraded for future use. To learn more about soil health contact your local NRCS office.