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California, Maryland Conservation Policy Innovators to Speak During Soil Health Institute Conference

California, Maryland Conservation Policy Innovators to Speak During Soil Health Institute Conference

Published 06-15-17

Submitted by The Soil Health Institute

California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary Karen Ross will update the nation’s soil health leaders on the California Healthy Soils Initiative during the Soil Health Institute’s (SHI) annual meeting, July 12-14, in St. Louis, Mo.  Dana Stein, Maryland House of Delegates, will brief leaders on his state’s Healthy Soils Program, which was approved by Governor Larry Hogan May 4.

The two officials join 11 other innovators who will address critical soil health solutions during the conference, PoweringUP Our Soils.  Speakers will provide information on the Action Plan For Soil Health, which outlines collaboratively developed, actionable steps to analyze and improve the health of the nation’s soils and ecosystems, carbon sequestration, enhancing soil to suppress soil-borne diseases, and emerging sustainability requirements.

“Enhancing soil health allows us to improve water quality, increase drought resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve farm economies, provide pollinator habitat, and it better positions us to feed the nine billion people expected by 2050,” Wayne Honeycutt, SHI president and CEO, said.

“Agricultural and conservation leaders recognize that soil health must emerge as the cornerstone of land use management decisions throughout the world during the 21st century, in part, due to increased extreme weather events, increased demand for food to sustain a growing population, and the decrease in arable farmland,” Honeycutt said.

CDFA appropriated $7.5 million in FY 2016-17 to develop and administer the California Healthy Soils Initiative. The stated objective is to build soil carbon and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, Maryland’s Healthy Soils Program provides incentives, including research, education, technical, and financial assistance, to implement farm management practices that contribute to soil health.  

“We’re excited to have the nation’s soil health innovators addressing the latest initiatives and legislation,” Honeycutt added.

The meeting is open to all interested in advancing soil health. For more information, visit http://soilhealthinstitute.org/2nd-annual-meeting-registration-open/.

About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute's (www.soilhealthinstitute.org) mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. An evolution of the Soil Renaissance, an initiative established in 2013 by the Noble Foundation and Farm Foundation to advance soil health and make it the cornerstone of land use management decisions, the Soil Health Institute serves as the primary resource for soil health information.

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The Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute

About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute is a global non-profit with a mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. We bring together leaders in soil health science and the industry to help farmers, ranchers, and landowners adopt soil health systems that build drought resilience, stabilize yield, and benefit their bottom line.

The Institute’s team of scientists, holding doctorates in various soil science and related disciplines, has developed highly effective soil health targets and standardized measurements to quantify progress at achieving regenerative and sustainable agricultural systems, and leads the cutting-edge fields of carbon sequestration and decoding the soil microbiome.

Healthy soils are the foundation for rejuvenating our land. Together, we can create a secure future for all, mitigate the effects of climate change, and help agriculture and organizations meet production and environmental goals at scale.

Visit soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedInTwitter, and Facebook.

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