Healthy Soils Program

Retain, cycle and provide more nutrients. This is a result of increased, nutrient-rich organic matter, the ability of that organic matter to retain nutrients which could otherwise leach out, and more rapid nutrient cycling with higher microbial activity. This is a long-term gain which may not appear in the first year, but increases over time. It helps gradually reduce the need for synthetic and mined inputs.

Build stronger aggregates, making for improved, more stable soil structure. This is accomplished by organic matter additions, greater root growth, or reduced- and no-till practices. Well-structured soils provide ample channels for water and air movement, enhance soil organism activities, allow crop roots to explore for more water and nutrients, and provide workable soils year-round.

With improved structure, allow water to infiltrate more quickly while also retaining more moisture, conserving water resources. This is especially crucial in California. Practices like mulching can also directly decrease evaporative losses

By improving soil structure, or covering the soil physically, help prevent soil erosion from rain or wind, safeguarding fertile topsoil and eliminating air pollution and sediment runoff into water systems.

Provide a range of habitats and food for wildlife, beneficial species, and pollinators. Increased biodiversity can be seen both above- and belowground. As soil ecosystems thrive over time, the surrounding agricultural and natural ecosystems become more resilient and diverse. The effects of increased soil microbial diversity have become an important area of research, underlying many other benefits.

Support a wide range of pollinators – not just the productive assistance of European honeybees, but Californian bees, butterflies, and birds. All of these will be more resilient and render greater services with increased, diverse food supplies.

Reduce the need for pest and disease control with increased and more diverse insect and microbial life. Over time, some pesticides and fungicides are believed to have impaired soils’ biological activity. While the benefits of particular plants for pest management are well understood now, healthy soils with diverse below-ground communities have also been found to help control insect pests, as well as fungal and microbial diseases, like rusts.

Store carbon in the soil as both labile (cycling) and resistant organic matter, by adopting practices that increase living roots, reduce soil disturbance, or add organic matter directly to the soil. In recent years, researchers have recognized that most stable organic matter in soils consists of dead microbial tissues, reaffirming the practical importance of higher biological activity, and thus of soil health. In addition, tree and herbaceous plantings directly sequester atmospheric carbon into above-ground biomass.

Reduce emissions of GHGs like nitrous oxide and methane, or increase their consumption within the soil. This is accomplished by improving drainage, in-field nutrient cycling, and soil organic matter. Over time, reduced nitrogen fertilization needs will result in lowered nitrous oxide emissions. And after all, nitrous oxide is the most significant GHG emitted by cropped soils in California.

Increase the quality of food and fodder. Compared to the 1950s when testing began, the depletion of nutrients in agricultural soils has resulted in decreased nutrient contents in fruits and vegetables, although this effect is also due to breeding foods for other characteristics, like size and sweetness. Likewise, healthier pasture soils increase animal productivity.