Soil Health and Land Management- One of the three pillars of ROC™
Welcome back once again to our blog series covering pillars of The Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC™). In this blog post, we will be covering Soil Health and Land Management - one of the three pillars of ROC™.
If you would like to know about The Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC), Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) and ROC's other two pillars, please follow the links below:
Now let’s dive into Soil Health and Land Management!
There will be no sustenance if there is no soil— life begins in the ground. It is imperative for the world to start putting into action restorative farming practices—its absence can jeopardize global food security, endangering the future for coming generations.
Soil health is inextricably connected to the concentration of soil organic matter. The integrated soil conservation approach of regenerative farming anchors the process of photosynthesis to put up the shutters on the carbon cycle and improve soil health, which automatically enhances crop performance.
Agricultural pesticides, sodium fertilizers, carbon extraction, and tillage have negative consequences on the soil— regenerative agriculture flips this liability to promote long-term development. It combines various factors to create more intensified and rewarding harvests while still repairing soils that have been exhausted.
Builds Soil Organic Matter
Conservation Tillage
Cover Crops
Crop Rotations
No GMOs or Gene Editing
No Soilless Systems
No Synthetic Inputs
Promotes Biodiversity
Rotational Grazing
Builds Soil Organic Matter
Soil Organic Matter Matters!
Nutrients nourish the soil and impact crop performance, and soil organic matter is the source of nutrients— the higher the presence of organic matter, the higher the release of nutrients. Per pound of organic matter in the soil releases about 20 to 30 pounds of nitrogen, 4.5 to 6.6 pounds of Phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5), and 2 to 3 pounds of sulfur annually. One of the primary issues that impact agricultural production and food sustainability is soil nutrient loss— healthy soil organic matter has the potential to significantly reduce the dangers of climate change and climatic variables to food and nutrition security.
Fertile soils with higher soil organic matter can retain water up to 90% of their weight, which is supplied to plants/ crops grown on it. The concept here is to grow more crops naturally— by reducing the dependency on artificial water supply. Given that agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater consumption, we must resort to sustainable and effective water management if we have any hope to meet the demands of the rapidly growing world population (which is expected to increase from 7.8 billion to 9.9 billion by 2050).
Organic matter promotes the stability of soil aggregates, enhancing the structure of the soil. It strengthens the soil's water infiltration process, which results in the boost of the soil's capacity to retain water and moisture.
Soil conservation refers to techniques that keep the soil from deteriorating. It is respecting the soil as a biological organism rather than a non-living thing, which entails restoring organic matter to the soil continually. Soil organic matter improves water penetration, insulates the soil from erosion, and incentivizes the soil quality and its water retention capacity.
Research predicts severe jeopardy of civilizations in a short period if the world continues the current path of soil degradation. Along with the suffering of human health as a result of the soil producing less nutritious food, the planet may even run out of topsoil to farm. While average topsoil depth varies across countries, states, and even local landholdings, sources estimate an average of only 8-inch topsoil in the United States. And if, according to soil scientists, the formation of one-inch topsoil requires about 100 years (based on environment, flora, and other attributes), we know we are dangerously close to the losing point.
To achieve food security, control climate change, and reverse ecological damage, we have to revitalize agricultural lands all across the world, i.e., adopting regenerative agriculture.
Conservation Tillage
A set of agricultural measures to minimize wind intervention and water degradation.
Conservation tillage reduces the vulnerability of soil degradation, improves soil profile, and lowers tillage overheads. It enhances the overall soil health by increasing microbial productivity and the propensity for plant disease rehabilitation and viability. All of these factors result in far-reaching ramifications for the natural ecosystem.
Conservation Tillage Benefits—
Securing soil surface throughout the year via preventive measures like crop residues and growing vegetative covers.
Minimum tiling as possible— erosion is one of the challenging concerns of bare soil, and rigorous tilling degrades soil quality and microbial activity.
The crop residue from the previous year beds around one-fourth of the soil surface in conservation tillage practices— this keeps the soil structure concrete by strengthening the root growth, shattering the rainfall repercussions, and reducing the impact of wind velocity. The stubble sections of conservation tillage also serve as miniature barriers to hinder water runoff as it trickles down toward the bottom of a hill.
The type of machinery and distinct tillage procedures predict crop residue/ cover percentages— the typical moldboard plow overturns and throws the soil, leaving it naked and vulnerable to erosion. Chisel plowing, on the other hand, can cover anywhere from 10% to 60% of soil residue cover.
The Eco-Societal Advantages of Conservation Tillage
Conservation tillage discharges significant eco-societal benefits that are numerous, varied, and intertwined. We will now look into greater depth on the advantages of conservation tillage—
Controls Soil Erosion: Conservation tillage includes crop residue management that saves water and soil while also increasing soil performance. It is also found to shrink the risks of erosion and resurrect soil productivity.
Improves Soil Health: Conservation tillage systems can increase chemical, physical, and biological soil qualities. It scales back the mechanical perturbation, resulting in the prosperity of soil organisms and increased biological activity. Crops and plants incur lower distress and are more disease-resistance as a result of competitive saturation between helpful and pathogenic bacteria.
Balances Soil Moisture: A higher concentration of organic matter in the soil increases the soil's efficiency to absorb water— this is especially helpful for locking soil moisture in arid regions. The marginal tillage helps improve water filtering, breaking the soil bulk density and retaining sub-soil habitat for soil organisms. In damp environments, conservation tillage can boost the evaporation of moisture and soil warming and enable the farmers better for cultivation preparation.
Promotes Wildlife Habitat: Sedimentation endangers the livelihood of aquatic animals and other wildlife that rely on water for survival. Conservation tillage minimizes sedimentation in water sources. Reduced sedimentation doesn't benefit not only water-dependent species but also supplies basic sustenance for tiny mammalian species, including bobwhite, mice, etc.
Saves Money On Operating Costs: Conservation tillage techniques lower operation costs in variable and fixed labor expenses, as well as fuel and machinery costs (the lower fuel & machinery expenses saves not just money but also cuts down carbon emission).
Conservation tillage is about treating the soil right— utilizing soil in the most minimal way possible.
The impacts of conservation tillage help the environment, agricultural stress resistance, crop productivity, and the overall harvest/yield/ output. Low or no-till farming practices are important regenerative agricultural strategies that will help farmers in the short term while restoring soils for long-term abundance and sustainability.
Cover Crops
Cover crops are great at salvaging soil nutrients surplus following the harvesting time— they retain extra nutrients post-harvest, then replenish them all over at the start of the next plantation season. Cover cropping lowers the requirement for nitrogen fertilizers by transferring nitrogen from the air into the soil. It also helps alleviate agricultural run-off by reducing the fertilizers from seeping into waterways and underground water.
Cover Crops: The United States
Cover crops were widely used in American agriculture by the 1860s, and they remained until synthetic fertilizers took over agriculture in the late 1950s. The easily available and cheaper variant, synthetic fertilizers, largely supplanted cover crops to improve soil quality, resulting in considerable changes in farmland management.
Modern farmers are no strangers to extensive utilization of fertilizers and pesticides, with minimum to zero knowledge about cover crops— the United States consumes roughly 12% of global nitrogen fertilizer, while the country accommodates only around 5% of the world’s total population. Increased fertilizer consumption and soil degradation have harmed the environment in the United States.
According to the 2000 National Water Quality Inventory, NPS (agricultural nonpoint source) pollution was the prominent cause of water pollution problems, the second-largest contributor of wetlands deficiencies, and a key cause of estuaries and groundwater contamination.
Over the years, the dominating effects of soil erosion and nutrient depletion have incentivized the country with awareness of cover crops— now, they are being grown on a greater proportion of U.S. fields as a measure of defense against erosion and nutrient depletion during shifting cultivation periods. Plantings have increased by 50% in five years (2012-2017), with 5% of it as cropland (which is still less but on its way to improvement). Cover crops were planted on 15.4 million acres of American soil in 2017, beating even the plantation sizes of commercially popular crops such as cotton and rice.
Benefits of cover crops:
Act as trap crops to draw pests' attention away from the main crops.
Replenish nitrogen in the soils to balance out any hiccups.
Trap carbon as organic matter in soils,
Return carbon plant root secretions inside the soil to stimulate soil biology.
Add nutrients
Mitigate soil loss
Types of Cover Crops
Cover crops increase soil health by adding organic matter and residues, reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds, attract pollinating organisms, and improve the overall crop and soil health. The four types of cover crops include—
Grasses: Excellent weed suppressants.
Legumes: Beneficial cover crops for fixing nitrogen in the soil.
Brassicas: Reduce soil compaction and weed growth.
Non-legume broadleaves: Prevent soil erosion and increase soil fertility.
Conclusion
Cover crops are an important strategy for sequestering carbon from the atmosphere into soils, recycling nutrients, reducing the demand for synthetic fertilizers and agricultural run-off, and improving soil biology. It is an important instrument that helps boost profits by rejuvenating the soils for maximum quality and crop output.
Crop Rotations
Crop rotation is critical for the health of the crops and the soil it is being cultivated on.
Crop rotation promotes soil recovery and helps maintain the equilibrium of the soil profile. It also barricades pests invasion— crop rotation keeps disease organisms under control and battles the threats of crop damage. Farmlands growing a range of crops biologically engineered to contribute to the richness of the soil are essential for replicating the natural diversity of the native plant ecosystems.
Before agriculture was fashioned by large-scale farming centering on specialized areas for the same crops every year, native plant and soil ecosystems co-evolved naturally to establish a harmony that could accommodate a great range of organisms on the same soil. These perennially growing crops produced carbon exuding plants that supply carbon to soil biological organisms, generating strong soil organic compound and nutrient profiles.
How Can Crop Rotation Improve Soil Health?
Crop rotation recovers and revitalizes soil nutrients without the need to acquire additional nutrients through artificial fertilizers.
Crop rotation prevents overflowing accumulation of nutrients or overabundant absorption of nutrients from the soil.
A constant blanket of protection of strong-rooted crops immunes the soil against the roughest of winds and rainfall. It empowers the soil with a tapestry of roots that firmly holds the top layer of the soil together.
Crop rotation disrupts the life cycle of pests and their habitat.
Crop rotation minimizes the society of weeds, and even prevents them from growing.
Crop rotation reduces the risks of compaction, which improves the soil's health condition.
The exercise of rotating crops aids in the distribution of workload and resources, lowering crop production costs to a considerable degree.
Conclusion
Crop rotation enriches the soil by replenishing nutrients that are depleted or absorbing excess nutrients. It has also been shown to be effective in eventually enhancing the fertility of the soil. The abundance of soil nutrients offers ample food to all crops, guaranteeing that the harvest collected is successful— crop rotation promotes a bonanza yield.
No GMOs or Gene Editing
Genetic engineering results in genetically engineered animals, plants, and creatures, and they can impact the ecosystem. Technology is clearly associated with risk, principally when its consequences are broad and unpredictable (as with plant genetic modification).
GMOs are all around us— it may be seated in the pretty shelves of the supermarkets, slapped between the buns of a delicious hotdog, or even swimming in the golden drizzles of your favorite corn syrup. Genetically engineered ingredients are present in more than 80% of all processed foods in the United States. And, contrary to industry claims, these crops are not just for improving harvest yields or to withstand erosion and droughts. They are also designed to withstand persistent concentrations of harmful herbicides— which has resulted in around 527 million pounds of herbicide use in the U.S. under 16 years. And despite the scientific claims of responsible benefits, a large portion of the communities are not ready to exist in alignment with GMOs.
Benefits of GMOs/ Gene Editing
GM foods are useful in controlling the occurrence of certain diseases— it changes the DNA system, and adeptly eradicate qualities that cause reactions.
These crops also grow more rapidly than conventionally cultivated crops, leading to improved production and a greater volume of market supply.
Genetically modified food crops can, sometimes, grow in areas even with poor environmental conditions. A regular crop can only thrive during its season or under certain circumstances. Genetically modified foods have a longer shelf life, resulting in lesser concern about short expiry dates.
Drawbacks of GMOs/ Gene Editing
The most serious hazard posed by GM foods is the potential negative consequences on humans. Because they are nascent, nothing is documented about their long-term impacts on humans. The health implications of GMO items are unspecified (which is also why conscious individuals personally avoid them).
Advertisers do not state on the packaging that foods are created through genetic alteration because it can harm their businesses— an unethical practice. Further, consuming genetically modified foods is also studied to contribute to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant illnesses.
Many communities are opposed to GMO foods because they perceive it as an abnormal, unethical method of food production, uneasy about transplanting DNAs between plants and animals. The ethical concerns further include potential dangers to the authenticity and fundamental value of the players involved, the notion of natural equilibrium and harmony, and the moral standing of the environments wherein the genetically modified organism takes place.
Genetic modification can harm other species that live in the ecosystem— genetically modified plants or crops that are released into the environment may also genetically manipulate related species or perennial crops, leaving phenotype consequences on other non-involved organisms.
GMO dangers are high-risk and impossible to predict, one single gene can influence numerous traits— stimulation of a single gene can implicate the complete genome of the host, culminating in adverse reactions that may not reveal themselves from the get-go.
The expansion of GMO foods may lead to poorer countries deepening their reliance on industrialized countries, as the food supply would most likely be dominated by the developed countries— further widening the economic development gap.
Genetically engineered crops combined with pesticides put a damper on the ecosystem in multiple ways. Presently, genetically modified food items are limited to crops alone (except for the recently FDA-approved GM salmon). And all of these genetically modified foods must pass safety tests and demonstrate no adverse impacts on human health following international criteria before hitting the market.
But who is to say what the risks are given that the world still needs to invest years of research to determine the true casualties of GMOs!
No Soilless Systems
Soilless culture is a method that artificially supports crops and serves as a repository for moisture and nutrients, fulfilling demands with similar crop yield results. Soilless planting system is also known as hydroponics, a term that was coined during the 1930s by W. F. Gericke. Hydroponics, over the years, has been widely employed in research institutes as a technique for examining plant nutrition. This adaptable, growing method allows you to grow a wide range of crops, from microgreens to different kinds of whole vegetables.
What is Wrong With Soilless Culture?
There is a rising push to enhance agricultural productivity and minimize crop production costs for supporting the ever-growing population while still contributing to sustainability. The primacy and necessity of soil quality are paramount— one-third of the world's cultivable soils have deteriorated, with 25% highly damaged. At this degradation rate, approximately 60 years of farming is suspected to remain.
Between 2001 to 2017, the United States has lost 24 million acres of natural land (or the size of nine Grand Canyon national parks) to agribusiness, energy growth, and other anthropogenic activities, which is thinning the fighting chances of the country against climate change. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has lost 84% topsoil since 1850 and is speculated to be only 40 years away from completely losing its soil fertility. And, in this already bleak world-soil scenario, a sprouting (but not new) practice emerges— soilless agro. Soilless systems project the libation of traditional chemical agro-tactics like weed management and eliminating pests.
Soil Gives Back To Its Surroundings
What links soil to nature is critical in a world where we are becoming increasingly isolated from the raw beauty of our planet. The magnitude of the risk is dangerously high— a broken link between the two could end the existence of mankind. Regenerative farming concentrates heavily on caring for the soil. Forging a deep and long-lasting relationship. This connection binds one to the soil and awakens us to be conscious of what we do on our land— being concerned about the ground we stand upon.
We would never begin to absorb the unfathomable wonder that lies far below our feet simply by riding on tractors or promenading around glasshouses— we must create a special bond with what accommodates a quarter of the world's biodiversity by getting our hands dirty. Beyond being one of the most important pillars of the world’s ecosystems, a research study also suggests that soil just might be the answer to extracting new antibiotics — it is improbable that soilless alternatives would ever give back this way.
Our planet is inhabited with a variety of species, from the largest to the microscopic— as agricultural custodians, we must acknowledge and love living by the principles inclusive of the entire biodiversity.
No Synthetic Inputs
Synthetic inputs, when utilized inappropriately, induce severe harm to the soil microbiome.
Synthetic inputs are the artificially generated items or natural products that have been genetically altered by adding acids to natural minerals. The widespread use of synthetic inputs is linked to the buildup of pollutants such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and fluorine (F) in agricultural soils. Pesticides were also discovered 97% of the time in samples from stream water in agricultural areas in the United States. Synthetic fertilizers provide bandaid benefits while inflicting century-lasting havocs— these crises extend into crops, animals, humans, and soil. But when it comes to soil, the major issue is the degradation of organic materials. As organic communities disappear, the rainfall infiltration significantly slows down, resulting in soil erosion, surface runoff, and floods induced by ineffective soil fertility methods— it’s a monumentally expensive domino effect that the world cannot afford gamble on.
On the other hand, natural inputs include compounds produced by a naturally occurring biological mechanism. They do not destroy the microorganisms, instead helps mitigate the detrimental impacts of synthetic inputs. Organic inputs are a pertinent sustainable farming solution for preserving farmland soil health. They facilitate a consistent amount of organic matter in the soil, which has numerous benefits.
Promotes Biodiversity
Soil accommodates about 2,500 gigatons of global carbon stock, and it is also the most biologically diversified element on the planet. The importance of soil in climate and environmental issues deserves more acknowledgement and awareness as it plays a valuable role in conserving both the above and below-ground biodiversity. By functioning as a significant instrument in the bioremediation of polluted soils, soil biodiversity also helps lessen the challenges of natural ecosystems.
Soils Discharge Vital Functions In The Prosperity of Biodiversity
Soil connects air, water, and organisms. It performs various roles in the natural environment like maintaining air and water quality, nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration, natural decomposition, and more. If these contributions from the soil were to stop, we would all perish. According to study research, the United States transmits roughly 5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The study also reveals that with better soil management, the country can deliver the highest carbon sequestration turnover, contributing to the flourishing of biodiversity.
Well-covered soil prevents flooding, water erosion, and wind erosion— a nasty occurrence that causes severe respiratory disorders.
Soil is also the habitat to all kinds of living species— humans, animals, and other organisms all benefit from the habitat and food soils provide.
The health of soil impacts the carbon cycle— the balance of organic carbon compounds in the soil decides whether carbon is emitted into the atmosphere as CO2 or sequestered in the soil. The same applies to the cycling of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements.
Soil retains rainwater, preventing surface run-off. It uses the reserve as a supply source to nourish plants, microorganisms, and other living things.
It serves as a filtering agent if the rainwater carries contaminants— it traps toxins and releases cleaner water into the water sources.
Human and animal wastes can create waves of infectious havoc if they are not disposed of properly. Soil breaks down the waste items into new materials— it converts waste into valuable products for the sustenance of living organisms.
Nature recycles the planet in unique ways, helping our existence blossom— and soil is among nature's most pristine elements!
Rotational Grazing
The grass does not get enough time to recover between grazing periods in a traditional grazing setting, leading to poor pasture outputs. Then again, when combined with weeds, erosion, and runoff challenges, the consequences further worsen. According to the USDA, nearly 80% of cattle pastures have poor, inconsistent fertility.
Sustainably regulating pastures helps in yielding a better quality feed.
Rotational grazing helps combat the perpetual acreage grazing pattern that diminishes the forage. It provides ample time for pasture recovery by permitting only a selected area for grazing at a single time. The animals graze the part of the forage that has grown to its full potential. This prevents non-uniform grazing and benefits the grass to grow back with higher quality forage.
Benefits of Rotational Grazing
It is a sustainable, eco-friendly approach that nourishes livestock, enabling the generation of heart-healthy produce.
Grazing stimulates plants to grow out stronger roots, increasing soil biomass and fertility while also sequestering carbon.
It boosts soil organic matter which in turn boosts the moisture retention ability of the soil— absorbs rain more effectively, resulting in a generous release of water to the crops.
Rotational grazing provides animals access to fresh forage regularly, which helps achieve a more consistent level of nourishment.
Animals become less picky when it comes to grazing— instead of consuming solely favorable plants, they start feeding on less desirable grasses as well.
With an extended rest period to recuperate from grazing episodes, grasses better restore and expand their roots, eventually maximizing the forage output.
Conclusion
Livestock, when left unsupervised, can abuse the ground and easily kill all traces of life while thinning the soil. Employing rotational grazing benefits the pastures and allows the soil to enjoy high incentives which contribute to the entire planet.
Organic or ecological farming entails obviating or reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. This is done so in favor of cultivating substantial, protracted regulated soil fertility through regenerative practices like cover crops, reduced tillage, composting, etc. While fertilizers that substitute macronutrients like phosphorus, and nitrogen help in getting rid of pests, they cannot serve the soil the same way as natural fertilizers. In the process of destroying pests, they also kill microorganisms that are important for soil quality.
According to the Organic Trade Association, if every farmer in the United States switched to organic farming, it could remove 500 million pounds of persistent and hazardous pesticides in one year.
Organic cultivation strategies consider the demands of soil organisms by restoring organic compounds to the soil, which also facilitates natural soil nutrient cycling. The purpose of organic farming is not about doing away with pests for good, but rather to achieve the soil ecology equilibrium with a manageable pest infestation rate.
Organic farming involves growing food and raising cattle without using fertilizers, pesticides, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms). It is rather about relying on environmental assets such as manure and compost— a powerful method of securing both the soil environment and human health.
