The Soil Health Benchmark Study is an on-farm research project developed and led by Pasa Sustainable Agriculture that empowers farmers with a comprehensive assessment of their soil health, and provides comparisons of soil health data between peer farms. The study, which began in PA in 2016, has grown to include more than 90 farms in that state. Future Harvest is partnering with Pasa to extend this important research initiative into MD.
Identifying soil health benchmarks will help farmers determine whether their soil health management practices are achieving the desired results, or where improvements may be possible.
In addition, farmers will be provided with opportunities to learn from one-another, and collaborate on innovative solutions to soil health management problems- through regional hubs, workshops, webinars and field-school programs.
Soil health indicators measured for the benchmark include physical, chemical and biological attributes, such as aggregate stability, organic matter, microbial respiration and nutrient levels. These soil attributes will then be placed in the context of field management techniques, including tillage frequency and intensity, cover cropping, and organic matter inputs.
In 2019, Future Harvest began with 12 Farm Research Collaborators, which include vegetable farms, pastured livestock farms, and grain/row crop farms. Because the value of the study will grow as the number of participating farms increases, we are now accepting Community Scientist applications as well as Farm Research Collaborator applications.
