Soil Health Team Strengthening Collaborative Efforts

Building and maintaining healthy soils is not solely the responsibility of agricultural producers, both in rural and urban areas, but it is a collective effort that requires the involvement of everyone.

The concept of soil health has evolved over time, just like everything else. It is now known that healthy soil is a thriving ecosystem, teeming with diverse micro and macroorganisms. These organisms play a crucial role in nutrient cycling through decomposition, by promoting soil aggregation and by contributing to better soil structure and resilience. Healthy soils lead to healthy crops and animals, thereby, supporting vibrant and robust communities.

Carolina Córdova, assistant professor and statewide soil health specialist at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, hosted the first soil health statewide leadership team meeting June 23 with Aaron Hird, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service soil health specialist, and Ariel Freidenreich, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service research soil scientist.

The primary objective of this meeting was to strengthen collaborative efforts between the university and federal and state agencies in the field of soil health.

“We are thrilled about the potential collaboration opportunities that lie ahead and are committed to playing an active role in the formation of the Statewide Soil Health Team,” Córdova said.

The three statewide soil health specialists will meet quarterly, ensuring ongoing communication and fostering the exchange of important information regarding needs, projects and activities in which all can participate and contribute with their expertise and respective support team.

This collaborative initiative aims to identify ways in which the university, USDA-ARS and USDA-NRCS can actively support and contribute to a wide range of activities, events and projects throughout Nebraska. They enthusiastically welcome the opportunity to continue and extend their active engagement with other soil health leaders to serve diverse communities across the state, both urban and rural.

Córdova, Freidenreich and Hird believe that building stronger soils is a shared responsibility. By collaborating with experts and diverse stakeholders across Nebraska, the Soil Health Team aims to drive impactful change and ensure a sustainable future for our soils and the communities they support.