Spotlights: A New Name, A New Vision, A New Leader - Soil Health

January 27, 2012

Did you know that the terms soil health and soil quality are often used interchangeably with farmers more readily relating to soil health and scientists generally preferring soil quality? It’s simple really… Just like your own energy, productivity, and resistance to illness are based on your overall health, farmers can relate the productivity of their land and its ease of management to having healthy soil.

The soil health/soil quality staff located at the East National Technology Support Center recently changed its team name to National Soil Health and Sustainability Team to better reflect its role in helping farmers build healthy soil. In addition, David Lamm, Natural Resources Specialist, was named Team Leader. The Team interacts with field office staff and farmers to promote its vision of “Healthy Soil for Life!” The updated team name and leadership are the result of changes that took place about a year ago when NRCS’s work related to soil health/soil quality technology transfer and training was assigned to staff located at the East National Technology Support Center.

The National Soil Health and Sustainability Team has since developed a 2011–2015 Strategic Plan and a Plan of Work to guide its daily activities. Team members met with Chief White to demonstrate effects of soil health practices on soil stability and presented a summary of planned activities to State Conservationists to offer assistance. In addition to relying on the East National Technology Support Center’s multidisciplinary staff, the Team plans to recruit volunteers from each state to assist with the development of soil health how-to documents, Centers of Sustainability model farms, no-travel soil health training, and more. Team members continue to coordinate and instruct “Soil Health and Sustainability for Field Staff” offered as a 2.5-day course by NRCS’s National Employee Development Center. The photo shows employees using the soil quality test kit during this training.

Contact the National Soil Health and Sustainability Team for soil health technology transfer and training assistance.

Healthy Soil for Life!