News Release

October 18, 2022 — Farming and land management in the United States varies by region. This is due to different amounts of rainfall, sunlight, vastly different climates, and soil types. For this reason, farming and soil health considerations are different in each area. These topics will be discussed at the “Soil Health in the U.S.: Regional Differences and Considerations” symposium for the Communication and Public Engagement for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.

The meeting is sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America.

Soils play a vital role in food production, water purification, carbon and nutrient cycling, and climate modulation, among others. However, soils are at a constant threat of degradation or loss. Soil health can be defined in various ways, but is said to be the capacity of soil to sustain plants and animals over time. Soil health assessment uncertainties exist between soil types, climate, and cropping systems due to spatial and temporal differences. This symposium will bring together soil health experts from four U.S. regions to discuss regional challenges, opportunities, and vision for soil health approaches for agricultural systems.

Presentations include:

• Soil health in the southern United States, Sindhu Jagadamma, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
• Soil health in the western United States, Jim Ippolito, Colorado State University
• Soil health up north: Metrics from working farms in Minnesota, Hava Blair, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• Soil health – residue management in the Pacific Northwest, Hero Gollany, USDA-ARS, Oregon

For more information about the Communication and Public Engagement for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, visit https://www.acsmeetings.org/. Media are invited to attend the conference. Pre-registration by October 25, 2022 is required.

For more specific information about this symposium, visit https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2022am/meetingapp.cgi/Session/23737.

To speak with one of the scientists, contact Susan V. Fisk, sfisk@sciencesocieties.org to arrange an interview.