Introducing Soil For Life.

We all know soil health is important. We are bombarded daily with messages about improving soil health, and sustainable soil management. Soil For Life is an initiative to provide a framework for these discussions, help make sense of best management practices, and make a lasting impact on the health of our soil.
Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association is part of a diverse group leading Soil For Life. The group includes:

• Beef Farmers of Ontario
• Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
• Conservation Ontario
• Co-op Regionale (Thornloe/New Liskeard)
• Farm and Food Care Ontario
• Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Grand River Conservation Authority
• Ontario Federation of Agriculture
• Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Assoc.
• Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Assoc.
• Ontario Soil Network
• Representatives from Ontario Certified Crop Advisors (CCA-ON)
• Soils at Guelph Initiative

Soil For Life focuses on five major principles to break down and simplify the complex concept of soil health and sustainability. These same principles appear in New Horizons – Ontario’s Soil Health and Conservation Strategy that was released in 2019 and will provide a framework for the conversation. They are:

• Build soil organic matter
• Diversify crops
• Minimize soil disturbance
• Keep living roots throughout the year
• Keep the soil covered

Soil For Life will help to focus conversations on soil health and amplify a unified voice in agriculture.

“Promoting soil health has always been central to or activities at OSCIA and we are proud to collaborate on the Soil For Life initiative,” says Andrew Graham, Executive Director of OSCIA. “The environmental farm plan workshops and associated incentive program delivery, applied research initiatives such as ONFARM and Living Lab, and the new Mobile Soil Technology Suite all demonstrate our commitment to promote practices that increase soil resiliency and sustainable production.”

Farmers know that properly managed soil provides long-term economic and environmental benefits; benefits such as high yields, increased resiliency in soils, reduction in fertilizer inputs, and increased organic matter. Building on the great work farmers are doing, Soil For Life is designed to be a framework for sharing best management practices (BMPs) based on the five principles. Through sharing and discussion, the goal is to work towards increasing soil health knowledge in Ontario.

For more information on Soil For Life and soil BMPs, visit www.ontariosoilhealth.ca and follow #SoilForLife on Twitter.