Category: Press Release

FEBRUARY 15, 2022 – MORRISVILLE, NC – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, announced funding today from Wells Fargo to identify microbial indicators of optimal carbon cycling and storage in soil.

“Increases in carbon storage following adoption of regenerative soil health systems can take years to distinguish,” Dr. Elizabeth Rieke, Soil Microbiome Scientist for the Soil Health Institute said. “Our goal is to develop microbial indicators that allow stakeholders to observe how management decisions impact their potential to transform and build soil organic carbon stocks.”

The work will utilize metagenomic and carbon data collected as part of the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements. “Most carbon inputs from crop residues and root exudates must be transformed by microbial community members prior to stabilizing in the soil profile,” explained Dr. Rieke. “However, currently adopted indicators of carbon cycling in soil rely on disturbed soil samples, whose measures are difficult to relate back to in-field dynamics. Development of DNA based indicators will provide an opportunity to directly describe a soil’s functional potential to cycle carbon.”

Establishing genomic indicators of carbon cycling is the first step in the Institute’s goal of creating a suite of DNA based soil health indicators capable of describing a multitude of different soil functions. “Most currently utilized soil health indicators only relate to a single function, which has led to the development of numerous indicators. We believe that several soil functions can be tracked through analysis of a single DNA extract. Our goal is to identify genes of interest through metagenomic sequencing and then optimize direct quantification of the genes using high throughput qPCR performed on DNA we extracted from soils with known management histories across North America.”

Providing farmers low cost, easily interoperable indicators aids in the Institute’s goal of establishing regional soil health and carbon targets. “To measure soil health at scale, we must consider indicator return on investment. Defining a core suite of genes related to different, currently unreported, soil functions is a cost-effective approach for measuring soil health at scale,” said Rieke.

“In addition to benefits related to improving crop yields and the nutritional quality of the food we grow, soil health is a critical factor in sequestering greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” said Jennivine Kwan, Sustainability Strategist for Wells Fargo’s Institute of Sustainable Finance. “As one of the top lenders to the agriculture sector, we are proud to support the efforts of the Soil Health Institute to develop easy-to-use, easy-to-understand techniques for measuring soil health to benefit famers and their communities, increase carbon storage by the sector, and reduce its environmental impact.”

About the Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute is a global 501(c)(3) 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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is the leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 37 on Fortune’s 2021 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo

For media inquiries, contact Rivers Agency:
info@riversagency.com
(919.932.9985)

FEBRUARY 3, 2022 – MORRISVILLE, NC – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, has released “Exploring the Relationship Between Soil Health and Food Nutritional Quality: A Summary of Research Literature.”

Many on-farm and environmental benefits are associated with improving soil health. However, less is known about the relationship between soil health and food nutritional quality. Such a relationship would conceivably drive more demand for food grown using soil health practices, thereby bringing more environmental benefits to scale.

Supported by a grant from Hellmann’s, the Soil Health Institute partnered with the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University to explore these relationships using data published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. The team found that very few studies reported sufficient data on the full breadth of crop and soil management, soil health measurements, and food nutritional quality required for thoroughly evaluating those relationships. For example, studies demonstrating differences in nutritional composition of food under different management practices often did not measure key parameters needed for assessing soil health.

Based on these findings, the team recommended that future studies be designed and conducted on this topic that include:

• well-defined and consistently applied management practices;
• standardized, uniformly applied measurements of soil health, inherent soil properties (beyond those changed by management), crop growth, crop nutrient concentration, and total crop nutrient content; and
• interdisciplinary teams consisting of agronomists, soil health scientists, human nutritionists, and others that are needed to interpret the connections among management practices, soil health, and nutritional quality of the food produced.

Authors of the report are Dana Bourne, former graduate student at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, and current Sustainable Agriculture Manager at Stonyfield Organic; Timothy Griffin, Ph.D., Division Chair for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University; and Wayne Honeycutt, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Soil Health Institute.

“Little research of this nature has been conducted,” said Dr. Honeycutt. “However, everything we know about how improving soil health increases nutrient availability in soils and nutrient uptake by plants points to the likelihood of increasing food nutritional quality using soil health management systems. Consequently, I do not find these results discouraging, but only a reflection of the fact that we were limited to evaluating data from studies not really designed to address the question we wanted to answer. It is our hope that the guidance provided in this publication can serve the broader community in designing specific experiments that may lead to discovering causal relationships between soil health and human health through the crop nutrition pathway. In the meantime, we will continue advancing adoption of regenerative soil health systems knowing that their benefits to water quality, climate change mitigation, and other connections to human health are already well established.”

To learn more, read the full report or the executive summary.

About the Soil Health Institute

The Soil Health Institute is a global 501(c)(3) 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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

For media inquiries, contact Rivers Agency:
info@riversagency.com
(919.932.9985)

January 25, 2022, Morrisville, North Carolina — The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, has announced the addition of three new team members.

“We’re excited to add Adebukola Dada, Mary Griffith, and Cameron Ogilvie to our team,” said Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, SHI’s President & CEO. “Each of these individuals brings expertise in soil health and passion for supporting farmers as they adopt regenerative soil health systems. With the international experience of both Dr. Dada and Mr. Ogilvie, we will reach even more farmers around the world.”

Learn more about our newest team members:

Adebukola Dada, Ph.D., is a Research Soil Scientist leading the design, creation, and testing of digital tools for farmers. Her work includes developing a dashboard to monitor changes in soil health and tools to link management practices with Soil Health Targets. Dr. Dada received a B.S. in Agriculture from Olabisi Onabanjo University, M.S. in Agronomy from the University of Ibadan, both in Nigeria, and Ph.D. in Ecological Science and Engineering with a major focus on Agronomy (Soil Science) from Purdue University.

Mary Griffith, M.S., is a Soil Health Systems Extension Specialist at SHI, where she is leading the soil health education program for farmers participating in the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund. Prior to this role she served as an Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources at the Ohio State University for eight years, specializing in agronomic crop production and farm management. She received a B.S. in English, M.S. in Agricultural Economics, MPA, and Master’s in Plant Health Management all from the Ohio State University.

Cameron Ogilvie, M.S., is a Soil Health Educator for SHI, where he is leading a soil health education program for farmers and agronomists in Canada. He previously served as the Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator for Soils at Guelph, which is a University of Guelph initiative to mobilize the results of soil health research and bridge gaps among farmers, researchers, and the public. He received a B.S. in Agricultural Science and an M.S. in Cropping Systems & Agronomy from the University of Guelph, where he studied the on-farm impacts of cover crops (he prefers to call them “service crops”) on water and nutrient cycling.

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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

For media inquiries, contact SHI:

Dr. Loutrina Staley

lstaley@soilhealthinstitute.org

(256) 361-3579

DECEMBER 2, 2021 – MORRISVILLE, NC – The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, announced today that the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF) has been recognized as an Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) Innovation Sprint Partner. USRCF is an initiative of the Soil Health Institute, made possible with the generous support of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation as the founding partner.

AIM for Climate is a joint initiative by the United States and the United Arab Emirates that seeks to address the climate crisis by accelerating investments in climate-smart agriculture.  The selection of SHI’s fund was announced during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland on November 2, 2021.

“Being recognized on the global stage with a cohort of climate-smart initiatives raises awareness of this critical work and helps to accelerate adoption of regenerative agricultural systems,” said SHI CEO and President Wayne Honeycutt. “This will help advance our goal of drawing down one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere by 2026. We are excited to be conducting this work that benefits farmers while simultaneously contributing to transformative climate action in the agricultural sector.”

About the Soil Health Institute
The Soil Health Institute is a global 501(c)(3) 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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

About the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund
The USRCF is a unique, farmer-facing, science-based initiative that will support long-term, sustainable cotton production in the United States, with the goal of eliminating one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere by 2026. The Fund is supported by a $5 million grant from the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation. Participating partners of the Fund currently include Cotton Incorporated, National Cotton Council, and Field to Market.

About AIM for Climate
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate / AIM4C) is a joint initiative created by the United States and the United Arab Emirates. AIM for Climate seeks to address the climate crisis by uniting participants to significantly increase and accelerate investment in, and/or other support for, climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation over the next five years (2021 – 2025). AIM for Climate seeks to drive more rapid and transformative climate action in the agricultural sector, empowering agriculture to be part of the solution to address the climate crisis, build resilience to its impacts, and create co-benefits of climate action. Diversity, gender equity, and inclusion are critical to the success of the mission. AIM for Climate recognizes the wide range of participants necessary to achieve its goal and seeks to draw on diverse knowledge, experiences, and cultures. Participation in AIM for Climate is voluntary.

To learn more about the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund, visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/usrcf/.

To learn more about AIM For Climate, visit https://www.aimforclimate.org/.

Contact:
Byron Rath, Soil Health Institute: brath@soilhealthinstitute.org (718.916.3822)

Laurent Lawrence, Ralph Lauren: Laurent.Lawrence@RalphLauren.com (914.262.3952)

The U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund is an Industry-First Initiative to Assist Farmers in Implementing Regenerative Agricultural Practices Across More Than One Million Acres of U.S. Cotton Cropland; Drawing Down One Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent from the Atmosphere by 2026

NEW YORK, NY — The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation and the Soil Health Institute today announced a founding grant to launch the Institute’s U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund (USRCF), a unique, farmer-facing, science-based initiative that will support long-term, sustainable cotton production in the United States, with the goal of eliminating one million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the atmosphere by 2026.

“At the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation, we work to make the dream of a better life a reality by championing equity and creating positive change in communities around the world. Partnering to scale solutions that build community resilience are powerful ways to positively impact people’s lives, now and for the future,” Roseann Lynch, Ralph Lauren Corporation’s Chief People Officer and Head of the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation said. “The U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund is an ambitious effort crafted in partnership with the experts at the Soil Health Institute that puts growers at the center of creating a sustainable future for U.S. cotton production.”

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to promote soil health and to assist cotton farmers across the U.S. with storing more carbon, building drought resilience, and mitigating the very effects of climate change that are impacting us all,” Dr. Cristine Morgan, Chief Scientific Officer for the Soil Health Institute and leader of the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund said. “To achieve widespread environmental benefits from regenerative agriculture means we must understand farmers’ needs and experiences when adopting these practices. Adoption is hindered by a lack of information on the business case, locally relevant soil health education programs, and until now, knowledge of how healthy a given soil can become and what that means for improving drought resilience, yield stability, economics, and other benefits for farmers.”

Significant opportunity exists for expanding adoption of climate-friendly soil health practices in cotton production. Based on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Census of Agriculture, only eight percent of cotton cropland is managed using cover cropping and 21 percent is managed using no tillage. The USRCF will empower cotton farmers to adopt regenerative practices, like cover cropping and no till, in a way that benefits their operation. Regenerative agricultural practices can address issues important to both consumers and the environment, such as climate change, water quality, and pollinator habitat. The program will also help to ensure farmers can generate long-term value for their operations including increased profitability.

“After a heavy, 1-3 inch rainfall, that’s where cover crops really shine,” said Burton Heatwole, who grows cotton, corn, and other crops on his family’s 1500-acre farm near Millen, GA. “We have no runoff, no wash-outs, and the water in our ditches and ponds is clean. One thing I wish all farmers knew is how a cover crop can help them take advantage of all the sunshine, rain, and growing that can take place from September through November to improve soil health.”

The USRCF is supported by a five-million-dollar grant from the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation. Currently, cotton makes up more than 80 percent of Ralph Lauren Corporation’s total material use. As part of Ralph Lauren’s Global Citizenship & Sustainability goals, the Company has committed that by 2025, 100 percent of key materials, including cotton, will be sustainably sourced. The Foundation’s USRCF initiative complements Ralph Lauren’s work to pioneer, foster and scale sustainable innovation through partnerships and investments including its work with Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. and Color on Demand. Additionally, the USRCF will work to unite the interests of farmers, partners, and financial supporters around soil health as the foundation for regenerative agriculture. Participating partners of the Fund include Cotton Incorporated, National Cotton Council, and Field to Market.

The USRCF will initially operate in four states – Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Georgia and will look to expand into Alabama, North Carolina, Missouri, California and Oklahoma as these nine states represent 85 percent of U.S. cotton production. The Soil Health Institute will work closely with cotton farmers to help them measure and monitor the environmental, societal, and economic benefits of soil health management systems on their operations. Through the USRCF, improvements in soil health and carbon sequestration will be measured through an approach developed by the Soil Health Institute called soil health and soil carbon targets. The USRCF will also engage with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), specifically those with agricultural programs, to develop increased access to career paths in decision-making positions in U.S. agriculture and establish mentoring programs to help prepare the next generation of scientists and leaders in agriculture.

To learn more about the U.S. Regenerative Cotton Fund visit https://soilhealthinstitute.org/usrcf/ or contact Byron Rath at brath@soilhealthinstitute.org.

The Soil Health Institute is a global 501(c)(3) 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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation works to make the dream of a better life reality by championing equity and empowering underserved communities around the world. Established in 2001, the Foundation is committed to making a difference across its core areas of focus: supporting cancer care and prevention, protecting the environment, fostering advocacy & access, and strengthening community resilience. It hopes to deliver meaningful change in its communities through its nonprofit partnerships, investments and volunteering programs. For more information, please visit: https://corporate.ralphlauren.com/Foundation

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, footwear & accessories, home, fragrances and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren has sought to inspire the dream of a better life through authenticity and timeless style. Its reputation and distinctive image have been developed across a wide range of products, brands, distribution channels and international markets. The Company’s brand names—which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children and Chaps, among others—constitute one of the world’s most widely recognized families of consumer brands. For more information, go to https://corporate.ralphlauren.com.

Design the Change, Ralph Lauren Corporation’s strategy, is both a commitment and a journey to create a positive impact in society. It is based on our belief that, together with our industry, we can deliver the change required for a more sustainable and equitable future for all. Design the Change is anchored in commitments that will drive progress across our three focus areas: Creating Timeless Style, Protecting the Environment and Championing Better Lives, and it is underpinned by ambitious goals that guide the Company’s work across citizenship and sustainability. Ralph Lauren is a signatory to the We Are Still In declaration and the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, pledging to limit our emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals. The Company is also a member of the G7 Fashion Pact, a group of fashion leaders working to stop global warming, restore biodiversity and protect the oceans. For more information, visit our Company website.

Morrisville, North Carolina — The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, will release its comprehensive report on the Economics of Soil Health on 100 Farms in a webinar on Thursday, September 30 at 12 p.m. ET, thanks to the generous support of Cargill.

Using data collected and analyzed across 100 farms in nine states, Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, SHI’s President & CEO, will share key findings that can only be gleaned at such a scale.

Key Findings:

1. A total of 100 farmers were interviewed representing 194,003 acres of cropland across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
2. These farmers were using no-till on 85% of their cropland and cover crops on 53% of their cropland, well above the national average of 37% for no-till and 5% for cover crops. Those farmers using no-till had been doing so for an average of 19 years, and those who grew cover crops had been doing so for an average of nine years.
3. Sixty-seven percent of the farmers interviewed reported increased yield from using a soil health management system. Two percent reported decreased corn yield.
4. It cost an average of $24.00/acre less to grow corn and $16.57/acre less to grow soybean using a soil health management system.
5. Soil health management systems increased net income for 85% of farmers growing corn and 88% growing soybean.
6. Based on standardized prices, the soil health management system increased net income for these 100 farmers by an average of $51.60/acre for corn and $44.89/acre for soybean.
7. Farmers also reported additional benefits of their soil health management system, such as increased resilience to extreme weather and increased access to their fields.

The most desirable and robust information on how soil health affects profitability comes from real-world, on-farm data. This study involved interviewing farmers who have successfully implemented a soil health management system to obtain information on their management practices, yield, and other production experiences. To evaluate their economics, SHI’s Agricultural Economist used partial budget analysis to compare expenses and returns in a soil health management system compared to a conventional management system.

“Several management practices that improve soil health also increase carbon storage in soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce nutrient runoff and leaching,” explained Dr. Honeycutt. “However, investing in new management practices is also a business decision for farmers. Until now, there hasn’t been such a comprehensive study that provides the economic information farmers need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices. By closing this knowledge gap in the nine states where 71% of the corn and 67% of the soybean are grown in the U.S., we can scale up these benefits for farmers and the environment.”

Given the current adoption rates of no-till (37%) and cover crops (5%) in the U.S., the study indicates that many other farmers may improve their profitability by adopting soil health management systems.

Interested parties can register for the webinar at https://soilhealthinstitute.org/our-strategy/business-case/ or by visiting the link below:

https://soilhealthinstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9b2n2zxxSgu-XHFbLdQKnA

All who register will be provided a fact sheet summarizing the results.

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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

For media inquiries, contact Rivers Agency:
Lauren Rivers
lauren@riversagency.com
(919) 932-9985

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For media inquiries, contact Rivers Agency:
Lauren Rivers
lauren@riversagency.com
(919) 932-9985

Living Soil Documentary Reaching New Audiences and New Highs

August 30, 2021, Morrisville, North Carolina — The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, is proud to announce Living Soil, the organization’s ground-breaking soil health documentary, has been viewed more than 3 million times on YouTube. SHI is also expanding its reach to audiences around the globe, with Living Soil now available with closed captions in 20 languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Cantonese, German, Swahili, and Zulu.

“The Soil Health Institute has a global mission. Our goal is to scale adoption of regenerative soil health systems around the globe to benefit farmers, the environment, and society,” explained Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, SHI’s President & CEO. “We’re humbled by the success of Living Soil, which is attracting about 2,500 unique views each day. We’re excited to have shared this knowledge with more than 3 million viewers and hope this documentary inspires more people around the globe to begin their soil health journey.”

About Living Soil

Living Soil tells the story of farmers, scientists, and policymakers working to incorporate regenerative agricultural practices to benefit soil health for years to come. Living Soil takes the viewer on a journey from the lush landscapes in Oregon, sunbaked fields of California, and vast green acres of the Midwest to the waterfront farming and fishing communities in and around the Chesapeake Bay. Each farmer shares a story as unique as the soil they manage with a universal theme that resonates throughout the film: Soil is a special resource everyone should cherish and strive to protect.

Decades of conventional farming practices have done well to feed the increasing population of the world but have depleted soils of nutrients and organic matter. The agronomists in Living Soil explain how regenerative soil management practices can improve soil health as well as benefit air, water, and public health in the process.

Released in November 2018, Living Soil was directed by Chelsea Myers and Tiny Attic Productions based in Columbia, Missouri, and produced by the Soil Health Institute through the generous support of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

The film is available to stream for free at Living Soil or search for “Living Soil” on YouTube.

Download the press release.

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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

August 2, 2021, Morrisville, North Carolina — The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, has announced that six new scientists and three interns have joined the Institute.

“We welcome this diverse cohort to our growing team who hail from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds,” explained Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, SHI’s President & CEO. “We’re very pleased with the caliber of talent that SHI draws. Adding depth to our team means we can broaden our impact on scaling adoption of regenerative soil health systems to benefit farmers, the environment, and society.”

Meet SHI’s nine newest team members:

Loutrina Staley, Ph.D., joins SHI’s leadership team as a Soil Scientist, where she will help develop grant proposals, manage stakeholder relations, and communicate project results to end users.  Dr. Staley has experience as an Advance Science teacher in the Decatur City Schools where she implemented an innovative STEM program in Agriculture and Food Science. Her previous post-doctoral research focused on the efficacy of plant botanicals and fatty acids as antimicrobials against food-borne pathogens.

Christine Molling joins from the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, where she created models and data sets to assist decision makers in agriculture, environmental resources, and renewable energy. At the Soil Health Institute, Ms. Molling is a Modeling Specialist for the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project.  She evaluates and works to improve the ability of agroecosystem models to capture the effects of soil health practices on greenhouse gas emissions and water quality.

Brent Thomas is an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he is earning a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering. Mr. Thomas is a 2021 Intern working with SHI scientists to collect and analyze soil samples for establishing Soil Health Targets. He is particularly interested in identifying and addressing challenges that growers face when adopting soil health systems.

Jason Ackerson, Ph.D., joins from the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University where he was an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. His research focused on developing promixal sensors to quantify soil properties and develop digital soil maps. Dr. Ackerson is a Project Scientist for soil carbon measurement and technology discovery projects.

Quanteria Randle is a sophomore undergraduate student at Prairie View A&M University where she is earning her B.S. in Biology. Ms. Randle is a 2021 Intern working with SHI’s Soil Microbiome Scientist, Dr. Elizabeth Rieke, in analyzing phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) data from soils sampled across North America. She is also gaining experience in sampling soils for establishing Soil Health Targets.

Nate Looker, Ph.D., joins from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where he studied the impact of tropical forest succession on soil-based ecosystem services. Dr. Looker is a Project Scientist for field-based establishment of Soil Health Targets for farmers and field conservationists.

Mara Cloutier, Ph.D., joins us from Pennsylvania State University where she conducted research aimed at assessing how conservation management practices that improve soil health also influence soil microbial nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions (a potent greenhouse gas). Dr. Cloutier is a Project Manager for the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project in partnership with Dairy Management, Inc.

Robert Jeremiah Fredrick Thomas is an undergraduate student attending Prairie View A&M University where he is majoring in Agriculture with a concentration in Plant and Soil Science. Mr. Thomas is a 2021 Intern assisting with soil sample collection and data analysis on various projects. He is in the Prairie View A&M University Honors Program, an Eagle Scout, and plans to become an Environmental Research Scientist.

Vance Almquist, Ph.D., joins from the Pacific Ecological Systems Division of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development where he worked on developing tools for addressing aquatic ecosystem vulnerability to wildfire in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Almquist is developing quantitative strategies for grouping similar soils to aid in establishing and mapping Soil Health Targets for farmers and field conservationists.

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 www.soilhealthinstitute.org to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

For media inquiries, contact Rivers Agency:
Lauren Rivers
lauren@riversagency.com
(919) 932-9985