Press Releases

Exploring Opportunities to Advance Soil Health

June 08, 2016

Over the past decade, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture has developed a set of sustainability metrics that focus on environmental outcomes of agricultural management practices, specific to commodity crop production systems in the United States. Responding to a charge from membership to conduct an assessment on how the Alliance can work to further overall maintenance of and improvement to soil health, we have prepared this paper as a resource for Field to Market members.

Exploring Opportunities to Advance Soil Health assesses the current situation of the science of soil health, efforts of the conservation community, related research and the relationship to Field to Market’s ongoing efforts.

Of particular interest for Field to Market is how farm management practices may influence the key soil processes and functions associated with soil health. This paper explores a number of practices and their influence on individual physical, chemical and biological indicators, illustrating how many of the complexities in the interactions within a soil necessitate consideration of a range of factors when looking to adopt new practices. While many practices have in some cases been tied to improved soil health indicators, the responses are far from universal. The paper also discusses the progress being made in the research community towards standardized soil health testing that will provide an opportunity for land managers to gain a deeper understanding of their specific soils properties and possibilities.

Exploring Opportunities to Advance Soil Health reviews the current sustainability metrics in use by Field to Market and assess how they are related to key soil health measures and indicators. The current Fieldprint® Platform contains soil specific metrics that can be used to begin ac conversation within supply-chain partnerships about the importance of maintaining soil (Soil Conservation Metric) and reducing the potential for soil carbon losses (Soil Carbon Metric); appropriate interpretation and guidance on practices related to these metrics can begin to better understanding of soils in specific fields, and encourage soil health enhancing practices. The paper also outlines a number of ways for Field to Market members and supporters to engage in efforts to advance soil health research, promote soil health testing efforts, and supporting research on the connections between soil health, conservation practices, and sustainability outcomes.

ABOUT FIELD TO MARKET

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture® brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, feed, beverage, restaurant, and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring, and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber, and fuel production. Field to Market comprises around 200 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with members employing more than 5 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.5 trillion. 

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