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container--padded-top"> <div class="tag tag--issue"> foodprint issue </div> <h1 class="display display--1"> How Industrial Agriculture Affects Our Soil </h1> <p class="display display--lead">Soil is the foundation of most types of agriculture. But soil health is negatively impacted by industrial agriculture practices like monocropping, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and more. </p> <div class="social-menu"> <span class="display display--4">share:</span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://foodprint.org/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-soil" target="_blank"><i class="icon-facebook"></i></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://foodprint.org/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-soil&text=How Industrial Agriculture Affects Our Soil" target="_blank"><i class="icon-twitter"></I></a> <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c637a3e333825613428282c2f6673733a3333382c2e35322872332e3b73352f2f29392f7334332b71353238292f282e353d30713d3b2e353f293028292e39713d3a3a393f282f7133292e712f333530" target="_blank"><i class="icon-e-mail"></i></a> </div>  </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="container"> <p class="caption">Published: 10/08/18, Last updated: 2/28/24</p> </div> <main role="main"> <div class="container">  <div class="body"> <p>Soil health is the most important foundation of a healthy farm ecosystem. Yet most of the common farming techniques employed in industrial crop production, such as synthetic fertilizer application and monocropping, can degrade soil over time, causing a cascade of problems necessitating the use of even more man-made inputs, which in turn contribute to climate change. Sustainable and regenerative agriculture seeks to ameliorate soil health, sequestering carbon, storing water and building healthier farm ecosystems along the way.</p> </div>  <div class="silc-grid two-column silc-grid--collapse"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--6-md silc-grid__col--5-lg silc-grid__col--4-xl aside-image--right remove--padding-right"> <div class="report-sidebar report-sidebar--flexible"> <div class="report-sidebar__label"> <h4 class="display display--4">LEARN MORE</h4> </div> <div class="report-sidebar__info"> <img class="report-sidebar__image" src="https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/what-is-soil-why-is-soil-important-1.jpg" alt="what is soil important ; cross section of roots growing in soil" loading="lazy"> <a href="https://foodprint.org/blog/why-is-soil-important/" class="btn-link">Dig deeper into the basics of soil and why it's important</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="body"> <h2>What Is Soil?</h2> <p>Soil forms the surface of the Earth. It is made up of various mixtures (depending on where one lives) of minerals, water, air and organic material (including microbes and other organisms).<span id='easy-footnote-1-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-1-1260' title='“Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America.” Soil Science Society of America, <a href="http://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics">www.soils.org/about-soils/basics</a>. Accessed 19 May 2023. '><sup>1</sup></a></span></p> <p>Soil is not static: its composition is changeable, based on the weather, which organisms constitute it, which plants grow in it, and more.<span id='easy-footnote-2-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-2-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>2</sup></a></span> Soil, like air and water, is also vulnerable to pollution and can be damaged by industrial farming practices. Soil can also be amended through sustainable practices, like applying compost.</p> <p>Soils are often thought of as “living” because so many different types of organisms are alive in them, from bacteria to fungi to earthworms. In fact, one teaspoon of healthy soil can contain as many as one billion bacteria, plus fungi, protozoa and nematodes.<span id='easy-footnote-3-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-3-1260' title=' Herring, Peg. “The Secret Life of Soil.” OSU Extension Service, Jan. 2010, <a href="http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/secret-life-soil">extension.oregonstate.edu/news/secret-life-soil</a>. '><sup>3</sup></a></span> Healthy organisms in soil — both large (e.g., earthworms) and small (e.g., bacteria) — are important, because they perform many functions, from aeration, to creating pockets in the soil for water, to breaking down organic material and making nutrients available for plants.<span id='easy-footnote-4-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-4-1260' title=' Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp;amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>. '><sup>4</sup></a></span></p> <p>While soil is technically a renewable resource, it can take (pending the climate) between 100 and 1,000 years to develop — and this formation is so slow, that scientists apply the term “limited” to it, because although it is a natural resource, it is vulnerable to degradation.<span id='easy-footnote-5-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-5-1260' title=' “Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America.” Soil Science Society of America, <a href="http://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics">www.soils.org/about-soils/basics</a>. Accessed 19 May 2023. '><sup>5</sup></a></span></p> <h2><strong>The Impact of Industrial Agriculture on Soil Health</strong></h2> <p>Industrial agriculture negatively affects soil health and the atmosphere, by reducing organic matter and releasing carbon.</p> <h3>The Effect of Monocropping on Soil Health</h3> <p>Monocropping is the practice of growing the same crop on the same plot of land, year after year. This practice depletes the soil of nutrients (making the soil less productive over time), reduces organic matter in soil and can cause significant erosion.<span id='easy-footnote-6-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-6-1260' title=' Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp;amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>.'><sup>6</sup></a></span> In the US, industrial farming practices often include the rotation of soybeans and corn. Technically, because two crops are in rotation, this does not get classified as a “monoculture.” However, this “simple” form of crop rotation does not provide the same benefit to the soil as do complex systems (in which three or more crops are rotated over a period of one year or longer). When crops are grown in complex rotation, yields go up by as much as 10 percent in a non-drought year.<span id='easy-footnote-7-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-7-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>7</sup></a></span></p> <p>Monocropping, or even the “simple” crop rotation mentioned above, causes a cascade of problems, necessitating not only the use of synthetic fertilizers (because soil becomes depleted), but also the use of pesticides to control pests, like soil fungi, insects and other agricultural nuisances. Fields that include a diversity of crops (polyculture) are less attractive to insect predators.<span id='easy-footnote-8-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-8-1260' title=' Kerlin, Kat. “Why Insect Pests Love Monocultures, and How Plant Diversity Could Change That.” ScienceDaily, 12 Oct. 2016, <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161012134054.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161012134054.htm</a>. '><sup>8</sup></a></span></p> <p>Soil scientists have also discovered that monocropping alters the microbial landscape of soil, decreasing beneficial microbes and causing poor plant growth over time.<span id='easy-footnote-9-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-9-1260' title=' Gupta, Amrita, et al. “Linking Soil Microbial Diversity to Modern Agriculture Practices: A Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 5, 7 Mar. 2022, p. 3141, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053141">https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053141</a>.'><sup>9</sup></a></span></p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="silc-grid two-column silc-grid--collapse"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--6-md silc-grid__col--5-lg silc-grid__col--4-xl aside-image--right remove--padding-right"> <div class="report-sidebar report-sidebar--flexible"> <div class="report-sidebar__label"> <h4 class="display display--4">DIG DEEPER</h4> </div> <div class="report-sidebar__info"> <img class="report-sidebar__image" src="https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GettyImages-907966126_optimized-reup1.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy"> <a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/industrial-crop-production/" class="btn-link">How Synthetic Fertilizers Contribute to Climate Change</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="body"> <h3>Synthetic Fertilizers Negatively Impact Soil Health</h3> <p>All plants need nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) for healthy growth and productivity. These macronutrients (in addition to other macro- and micronutrients) form the basis of healthy soils. For soils deficient in these nutrients, fertilizer — either made synthetically or from organic materials — must be applied to grow healthy plants. As industrial crop production has escalated during the last 50 years, so has the application of synthetic fertilizers (mainly produced from fossil fuels) to boost plant productivity, in part. Industrial farming practices, such as monocropping and intensive tillage, have also compromised soil health over time.</p> <p>Some research has found that synthetic nitrogen fertilizer application decreases soil’s microbiological diversity (that is, bacteria, fungi, etc.) or alters its natural microbiological composition in favor of more pathological strains.<span id='easy-footnote-10-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-10-1260' title=' Lekberg, Ylva, et al. “Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Consistently Favor Pathogenic over Mutualistic Fungi in Grassland Soils.” Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 9 June 2021, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23605-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23605-y</a>.'><sup>10</sup></a></span><span id='easy-footnote-11-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-11-1260' title=' Wang, Chao, et al. “Decreasing Soil Microbial Diversity Is Associated with Decreasing Microbial Biomass under Nitrogen Addition.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 120, 20 Mar. 2018, pp. 126–133, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003</a>.'><sup>11</sup></a></span><span id='easy-footnote-12-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-12-1260' title=' Wang, Chao, et al. “Decreasing Soil Microbial Diversity Is Associated with Decreasing Microbial Biomass under Nitrogen Addition.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 120, 20 Mar. 2018, pp. 126–133, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003</a>. '><sup>12</sup></a></span> Some types of nitrogen fertilizer can cause soil acidification, which can affect plant growth.<span id='easy-footnote-13-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-13-1260' title=' Tian, Dashuan, and Shuli Niu. “A Global Analysis of Soil Acidification Caused by Nitrogen Addition.” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 10, no. 2, 20 Feb. 2015, p. 024019, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019">https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019</a>.'><sup>13</sup></a></span> Excessive fertilizer use can also cause a buildup of salts in soil, heavy metal contamination and accumulation of nitrate (which is a source of water pollution and also harmful to humans).<span id='easy-footnote-14-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-14-1260' title=' Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>. '><sup>14</sup></a></span></p> <h3>Pesticide Residues in Soil</h3> <p><a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/pesticides/">Pesticides</a> are chemicals that are used to control weeds (herbicides), insects (insecticides) and fungi (fungicides) in food, fiber and wood <a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/pesticides-in-our-food-system/">production</a>.</p> <p>Pesticide residues in soil, and their lasting presence in the soil over time, are greatly influenced by both the soil type and composition, as well as by the pesticide type.<span id='easy-footnote-15-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-15-1260' title=' Riyaz, Muzafar, et al. ‘Pesticide Residues: Impacts on Fauna and the Environment’. Biodegradation Technology of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants, IntechOpen, 20 Apr. 2022. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.98379. '><sup>15</sup></a></span> Depending on the pesticide type, application quantity, soil quality and the environment, some pesticides may be broken down by microbial action in the soil or by other chemical reactions, while others can accumulate in soil. (It is important to note, however, that some pesticides’ metabolites [breakdown products] are more toxic than the “parent” pesticide.)<span id='easy-footnote-16-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-16-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>16</sup></a></span></p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="silc-grid two-column silc-grid--collapse"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--6-md silc-grid__col--5-lg silc-grid__col--3-xl aside-image--right"> <div class="report-sidebar "> <div class="report-sidebar__label"> Read our report <span class="report-sidebar__label-impact">The FoodPrint of Crops</span> </div> <div class="report-sidebar__info" style="background-image: url('https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/broccoli.jpeg');"> <div class="report-sidebar__info-text"> <a href="" class="btn btn--white">Learn More</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="body"> <p>Some studies show that glyphosate (also known as RoundUp) decreases microbial biodiversity in soil; other studies show this chemical’s adverse effects on earthworms.<span id='easy-footnote-17-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-17-1260' title='“The Impact of Glyphosate on Soil Health &#8211; Soil Association.” Soil Association , <a href="http://www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf">www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf</a>. Accessed 6 June 2023.</p> <p>'><sup>17</sup></a></span> Other types of pesticides may have similar effects on soil microbiology, impacting nitrogen-fixing microbes important to soil health and fertility.<span id='easy-footnote-18-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-18-1260' title=' Hussain, Sarfraz, et al. “Chapter 5 Impact of Pesticides on Soil Microbial Diversity, Enzymes, and Biochemical Reactions.” Advances in Agronomy, vol. 102, 7 May 2009, pp. 159–200, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2113(09)01005-0">https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2113(09)01005-0</a>. '><sup>18</sup></a></span></p> <p>Soil fumigants are a type of pesticide designed to kill organisms in the soil before farmers start to plant. Fumigants kill nearly all soil organisms — not just the harmful ones — including beneficial bacteria, fungi and other organisms that help maintain healthy soils. (In addition to killing soil organisms, many of these soil fumigants are toxic to human health and can escape into the environment after application. Read more in the <a href="https://foodprint.org/reports/the-foodprint-of-crops/">FoodPrint of Crop Production report</a>.) In some cases, as in the production of grapes, fumigants accumulate in soils, often at levels beyond legal limits, also affecting soil microbial health and earthworms, both of which are vitally important to soil health and fertility.<span id='easy-footnote-19-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-19-1260' title=' Komárek, Michael, et al. “Contamination of Vineyard Soils with Fungicides: A Review of Environmental and Toxicological Aspects.” Environment International, vol. 36, no. 1, 13 Nov. 2009, pp. 138–151, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.10.005">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.10.005</a>.'><sup>19</sup></a></span><span id='easy-footnote-20-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-20-1260' title=' Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>. '><sup>20</sup></a></span></p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="body"> <h3>Factory Farm Waste Contaminates Soils</h3> <p><a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/what-happens-to-animal-waste/">Animal waste</a> from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms, spread on agricultural fields can contain harmful microbes and antibiotic and other pharmaceutical residues, which can lead to <a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/antibiotics-in-our-food-system/">antibiotic-resistant bacteria</a> in soils. <span id='easy-footnote-21-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-21-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>21</sup></a></span><span id='easy-footnote-22-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-22-1260' title=' Zhang, Haibo, et al. “Residues and Potential Ecological Risks of Veterinary Antibiotics in Manures and Composts Associated with Protected Vegetable Farming.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, vol. 22, no. 8, 30 Oct. 2014, pp. 5908–5918, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3731-9">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3731-9</a>.'><sup>22</sup></a></span>Antibiotics can stay in soil from a few days to hundreds of days. Some studies show that certain classes of antibiotics, such as tetracyclines, can be taken up by crops.<span id='easy-footnote-23-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-23-1260' title=' Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>.'><sup>23</sup></a></span></p> <p>Application of animal waste from industrial animal facilities can also be a cause of heavy metal contamination (stemming from metals used in feed), including copper, zinc and lead.<span id='easy-footnote-24-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-24-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>24</sup></a></span></p> <h3>Tillage, Soil Compaction and Erosion</h3> <p>Mechanical tillage and the use of heavy farm equipment can cause both soil compaction and soil erosion if soils are not managed effectively. Soil compaction is caused by heavy farm machinery use and tilling when soils are too wet; compaction has become an increasing problem as farm equipment has gotten increasingly heavier.<span id='easy-footnote-25-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-25-1260' title=' Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp;amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>.'><sup>25</sup></a></span><span id='easy-footnote-26-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-26-1260' title=' Duiker, Sjoerd Willem. “Effects of Soil Compaction.” Penn State Extension, 8 Mar. 2005, <a href="http://extension.psu.edu/effects-of-soil-compaction">extension.psu.edu/effects-of-soil-compaction</a>. '><sup>26</sup></a></span> Compaction leads to poor water absorption and poor aeration which further lead to stunted root growth in plants and smaller yields.<span id='easy-footnote-27-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-27-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>27</sup></a></span></p> <p>In agriculture, soil erosion usually refers to topsoil particles wearing away through wind, water and through farming activities, like tillage.<span id='easy-footnote-28-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-28-1260' title=' Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp;amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>. '><sup>28</sup></a></span> Erosion is caused by many different factors, but poor soil management, including tilling, can cause significant erosion over time, as can practices such as not planting cover crops in winter and not mulching.<span id='easy-footnote-29-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-29-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>29</sup></a></span> Tillage erosion can cause both wind and water erosion as poorly-managed soils are more susceptible to both.<span id='easy-footnote-30-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-30-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>30</sup></a></span></p> <p>Soil erosion is a problem for several reasons. When topsoil (the portion containing natural nutrients and organic material, which plants need to thrive) is lost, soil fertility is lost. In some cases, this loss causes a change in the structure of agricultural soils, which can, in turn, lead to increased susceptibility to drought.<span id='easy-footnote-31-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-31-1260' title=' Mulvihill, Keith. “Soil Erosion 101.” NRDC, 1 June 2021, <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/stories/soil-erosion-101#what-is">www.nrdc.org/stories/soil-erosion-101#what-is</a>. '><sup>31</sup></a></span> Eroded soil can turn into runoff and wash into local waterways, carrying not only soil particles, but any contaminants in that soil (such as synthetic fertilizer and pesticides).<span id='easy-footnote-32-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-32-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>32</sup></a></span> Wind erosion can cause significant topsoil loss, as well as health problems, property damage, and harm to crops.<span id='easy-footnote-33-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-33-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>33</sup></a></span> Erosion can also be a cause of flooding, as damaged soil cannot absorb as much water as healthy soil.</p> <h4>Soil Tillage, Climate Change and Soil Carbon Sequestration</h4> <p>Soil stores a tremendous amount of carbon; nearly 80 percent of the carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is in soil.<span id='easy-footnote-34-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-34-1260' title=' Ontl, T.A., and L.A. Schulte. “Soil Carbon Storage.” The Nature Education Knowledge Project , 2012, <a href="http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-carbon-storage-84223790/">www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-carbon-storage-84223790/</a>.'><sup>34</sup></a></span> Local loss of soil-sequestered carbon has global consequences. Scientists estimate that approximately one-third of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (a major contributor to climate change), are from the clearing of forests and the cultivation of land for agriculture.<span id='easy-footnote-35-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-35-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>35</sup></a></span> Unsustainable agricultural techniques which cause erosion, such as excessive tillage, and which do not improve soil health (e.g., soil microbes and organic matter), hasten the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.<span id='easy-footnote-36-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-36-1260' title=' Schwartz , Judith D. “Soil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight?” Yale Environment 360, 4 Mar. 2014, <a href="http://e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight">e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight</a>. '><sup>36</sup></a></span></p> </div>  <div class="silc-grid two-column silc-grid--collapse"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--6-md silc-grid__col--5-lg silc-grid__col--4-xl aside-image--right remove--padding-right"> <div class="report-sidebar report-sidebar--flexible"> <div class="report-sidebar__label"> <h4 class="display display--4">DIG DEEPER</h4> </div> <div class="report-sidebar__info"> <img class="report-sidebar__image" src="https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/MicrosoftTeams-image.jpg" alt="regenerative agriculture" loading="lazy"> <a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/regenerative-agriculture/" class="btn-link">Learn More About Regenerative Agriculture</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="body"> <h2>The Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture for Soil Health</h2> <p>The negative impact of industrial agriculture production (both industrial crop production and industrial animal production) on soil health are many. But an alternative exists. Sustainable agricultural techniques can help build healthy soil, avoiding the need for heavy synthetic fertilizer and pesticide use while protecting natural biodiversity in healthy soil. Here are just some of the major benefits that sustainable agricultural practices have on soil health:</p> <ul> <li>Improved carbon sequestration — <a href="https://foodprint.org/blog/regenerative-agriculture-definition/">regenerative agricultural techniques</a>, like cover cropping, can help build soil and sequester carbon. Healthy, carbon-rich soil plays an indispensable role in the fight against climate change.<span id='easy-footnote-37-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-37-1260' title=' Ibid. '><sup>37</sup></a></span></li> <li>Improved water retention — healthy soils with high organic matter retain more water. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “Each 1 percent increase in soil organic matter helps soil hold 20,000 gallons more water per acre.”<span id='easy-footnote-38-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-38-1260' title=' Bryant, Lara. “Organic Matter Can Improve Your Soil’s Water Holding Capacity.” NRDC, 27 May 2015, <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/bio/lara-bryant/organic-matter-can-improve-your-soils-water-holding-capacity">www.nrdc.org/bio/lara-bryant/organic-matter-can-improve-your-soils-water-holding-capacity</a>. '><sup>38</sup></a></span></li> <li>Less need for pesticides — healthy plants grown in biologically diverse soil with plenty of microbes are less susceptible (or attractive) to plant pests and better able to defend themselves from attack. <span id='easy-footnote-39-1260' class='easy-footnote-margin-adjust'></span><span class='easy-footnote'><a href='#easy-footnote-bottom-39-1260' title=' Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp;amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a> '><sup>39</sup></a></span></li> </ul> <ul> <li>No need for synthetic fertilizer — using sustainable soil-improvement techniques can eliminate the need for synthetic, fossil-fuel-based fertilizers. For example, amending the soil with plant-based compost and animal manure, green manure and cover cropping, as well as employing crop rotation, can all contribute to building healthier soil.</li> </ul> <h2>How Farmers Create Healthy Soils in Sustainable Systems</h2> <p>Regenerative farming techniques are focused on building soil health through ecosystem-centered techniques, like composting and adding animals into their crop rotation practices. This contrasts with the industrial model, which strips soil of nutrients and results in a negative feedback loop that requires more and more inputs, like synthetic fertilizers, over time. Sustainable farmers use many different techniques to create and maintain healthy soil structure, rich in nutrients, in sustainable agricultural systems without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. These techniques include:</p> <ul> <li>Crop rotation</li> <li>The use of compost</li> <li>Green manure, cover cropping and mulching</li> <li>No-till or low-till techniques</li> <li>Limited to zero pesticide use and sustainable pest management techniques, such as using buffer zones and beneficial insects</li> <li>Adding animals on pasture/animal manure to farm systems and crop rotation</li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="silc-grid"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="shapes shapes__callout"> <div class="shapes__background" style="background-image: url('https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Homepage_Intro_Background.jpg');"></div> <div class="body"> <h2 class="display display--2"></h2> <h2>What You Can Do:</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/the-basics-of-sustainable-agriculture/">Read more</a> about the benefits of sustainable crop production and the techniques farmers use to help build healthy soil.</li> <li>Support farmers working to build healthy soils by shopping locally and buying organic products when you can.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="section section__subscribe section__subscribe--shaped"> <div class="container"> <div class="subscribe"> <h2 class="display display--2">Get the latest food news, from FoodPrint.</h2> <p></p> <p class="p1"> <div class="wpcf7 no-js" id="wpcf7-f378-p1260-o1" lang="en-US" dir="ltr"> <div class="screen-reader-response"><p role="status" aria-live="polite" aria-atomic="true"></p> <ul></ul></div> <form action="/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-soil/#wpcf7-f378-p1260-o1" method="post" class="wpcf7-form init chimpmatic-1.3.8 mailchimp-ext-0.5.72" aria-label="Contact form" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <div style="display: none;"> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7" value="378" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_version" value="5.9.8" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_locale" value="en_US" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_unit_tag" value="wpcf7-f378-p1260-o1" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_container_post" value="1260" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_posted_data_hash" value="" /> <input type="hidden" name="_wpcf7_recaptcha_response" value="" /> </div> <p><label for="newsletter-first-name" class="visible-for-screen-readers">First name</label><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap" data-name="FNAME"><input size="40" maxlength="400" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text subscribe__form-input" id="newsletter-first-name" aria-invalid="false" placeholder="First Name" value="" type="text" name="FNAME" /></span><label for="newsletter-last-name" class="visible-for-screen-readers">Last name</label><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap" data-name="LNAME"><input size="40" maxlength="400" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text subscribe__form-input" id="newsletter-last-name" aria-invalid="false" placeholder="Last Name" value="" type="text" name="LNAME" /></span><label for="newsletter-email" class="visible-for-screen-readers">Email address</label><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap" data-name="your-email"><input size="40" maxlength="400" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-email subscribe__form-input" id="newsletter-email" aria-required="true" aria-invalid="false" placeholder="Email Address (required)" value="" type="email" name="your-email" /></span><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-submit has-spinner btn btn-white" type="submit" value="Sign Up" /> </p><div class="wpcf7-response-output" aria-hidden="true"></div><p style="display: none !important"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input type="hidden" name="referer-page" value="http://Direct%20Visit" data-value="http://Direct%20Visit" class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" aria-invalid="false"></span></p>  </form> </div> </p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="body"> <p><em>Previous page photo by isavira/Adobe Stock.</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="container container--padded"> <div class="silc-grid"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <div class="silc-accordion silc-accordion--references" data-silc-accordion-open-first=""> <section class="silc-accordion__section"> <header class="silc-accordion__header"> <p class="silc-accordion__label">Hide References</p> </header> <div class="silc-accordion__content"> <ol class="easy-footnotes-wrapper"><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-1-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span>“Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America.” Soil Science Society of America, <a href="http://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics">www.soils.org/about-soils/basics</a>. Accessed 19 May 2023. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-1-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-2-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-2-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-3-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Herring, Peg. “The Secret Life of Soil.” OSU Extension Service, Jan. 2010, <a href="http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/secret-life-soil">extension.oregonstate.edu/news/secret-life-soil</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-3-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-4-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-4-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-5-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> “Soil Basics | Soil Science Society of America.” Soil Science Society of America, <a href="http://www.soils.org/about-soils/basics">www.soils.org/about-soils/basics</a>. Accessed 19 May 2023. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-5-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-6-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-6-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-7-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-7-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-8-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Kerlin, Kat. “Why Insect Pests Love Monocultures, and How Plant Diversity Could Change That.” ScienceDaily, 12 Oct. 2016, <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161012134054.htm">www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161012134054.htm</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-8-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-9-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Gupta, Amrita, et al. “Linking Soil Microbial Diversity to Modern Agriculture Practices: A Review.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 5, 7 Mar. 2022, p. 3141, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053141">https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053141</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-9-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-10-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Lekberg, Ylva, et al. “Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization Consistently Favor Pathogenic over Mutualistic Fungi in Grassland Soils.” Nature Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, 9 June 2021, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23605-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23605-y</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-10-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-11-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Wang, Chao, et al. “Decreasing Soil Microbial Diversity Is Associated with Decreasing Microbial Biomass under Nitrogen Addition.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 120, 20 Mar. 2018, pp. 126–133, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-11-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-12-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Wang, Chao, et al. “Decreasing Soil Microbial Diversity Is Associated with Decreasing Microbial Biomass under Nitrogen Addition.” Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 120, 20 Mar. 2018, pp. 126–133, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.02.003</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-12-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-13-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Tian, Dashuan, and Shuli Niu. “A Global Analysis of Soil Acidification Caused by Nitrogen Addition.” Environmental Research Letters, vol. 10, no. 2, 20 Feb. 2015, p. 024019, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019">https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-13-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-14-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-14-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-15-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Riyaz, Muzafar, et al. ‘Pesticide Residues: Impacts on Fauna and the Environment’. Biodegradation Technology of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants, IntechOpen, 20 Apr. 2022. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.98379. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-15-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-16-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-16-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-17-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span>“The Impact of Glyphosate on Soil Health – Soil Association.” Soil Association , <a href="http://www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf">www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf</a>. Accessed 6 June 2023.</p> <p><a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-17-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-18-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Hussain, Sarfraz, et al. “Chapter 5 Impact of Pesticides on Soil Microbial Diversity, Enzymes, and Biochemical Reactions.” Advances in Agronomy, vol. 102, 7 May 2009, pp. 159–200, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2113(09)01005-0">https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2113(09)01005-0</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-18-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-19-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Komárek, Michael, et al. “Contamination of Vineyard Soils with Fungicides: A Review of Environmental and Toxicological Aspects.” Environment International, vol. 36, no. 1, 13 Nov. 2009, pp. 138–151, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.10.005">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2009.10.005</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-19-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-20-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-20-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-21-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-21-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-22-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Zhang, Haibo, et al. “Residues and Potential Ecological Risks of Veterinary Antibiotics in Manures and Composts Associated with Protected Vegetable Farming.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, vol. 22, no. 8, 30 Oct. 2014, pp. 5908–5918, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3731-9">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3731-9</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-22-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-23-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Eugenio, Natalia Rodríguez, et al. “Soil Pollution, A Hidden Reality.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf">www.fao.org/3/I9183EN/i9183en.pdf</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-23-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-24-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-24-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-25-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-25-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-26-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Duiker, Sjoerd Willem. “Effects of Soil Compaction.” Penn State Extension, 8 Mar. 2005, <a href="http://extension.psu.edu/effects-of-soil-compaction">extension.psu.edu/effects-of-soil-compaction</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-26-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-27-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-27-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-28-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-28-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-29-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-29-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-30-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-30-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-31-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Mulvihill, Keith. “Soil Erosion 101.” NRDC, 1 June 2021, <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/stories/soil-erosion-101#what-is">www.nrdc.org/stories/soil-erosion-101#what-is</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-31-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-32-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-32-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-33-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-33-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-34-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ontl, T.A., and L.A. Schulte. “Soil Carbon Storage.” The Nature Education Knowledge Project , 2012, <a href="http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-carbon-storage-84223790/">www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-carbon-storage-84223790/</a>.<a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-34-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-35-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-35-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-36-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Schwartz , Judith D. “Soil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight?” Yale Environment 360, 4 Mar. 2014, <a href="http://e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight">e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-36-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-37-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Ibid. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-37-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-38-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Bryant, Lara. “Organic Matter Can Improve Your Soil’s Water Holding Capacity.” NRDC, 27 May 2015, <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/bio/lara-bryant/organic-matter-can-improve-your-soils-water-holding-capacity">www.nrdc.org/bio/lara-bryant/organic-matter-can-improve-your-soils-water-holding-capacity</a>. <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-38-1260"></a></li><li class="easy-footnote-single"><span id="easy-footnote-bottom-39-1260" class="easy-footnote-margin-adjust"></span> Magdoff, Fred, and Harold Van Es. Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils. 4th ed., Sustainable Agriculture Research &amp; Education, 2021, SARE, <a href="https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/">https://www.sare.org/resources/building-soils-for-better-crops/</a> <a class="easy-footnote-to-top" href="#easy-footnote-39-1260"></a></li></ol> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container container--padded"> <div class="silc-grid silc-grid--collapse"> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--12"> <h3 class="display display--3">More Food System Issues</h3> </div> <div class="silc-grid__col silc-grid__col--4-md"> <div class="callout callout--large"> <a href="https://foodprint.org/issues/black-land-loss-in-the-united-states/" class="callout__link"> <div class="callout__image-wrapper"> https://foodprint.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AdobeStock_210451851_1920x960-1024x512.jpg <div class="callout__image" style="background-image: 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