National Healthy Soils Policy Network
“Given the appropriate tools, training and support is key to organizing and mobilizing farmers. We found that many individuals just lacked to confidence to approach and reach out to their legislators, once they had the appropriate support they were engaged and could certainly speak to the issues.”
- NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY)
Every year, the Network provides small grants, skill-building training and peer coaching to members to cultivate farmer leaders to advance healthy soils policies.
“As a very small nonprofit, we don’t have other sources of funding for engaging with soil health policy and as far as we know, no other organizations are currently advocating for this policy in Kansas. Without this funding we likely would not be doing advocacy and education in this area.”
- Kansas Rural Center
2024 Healthy Soils Movements Grown by Our Members
Resources provided by the National Network continue to support farmer organizing activities that contribute to the advancement of healthy soils policies and programs.
In 2024, our members:
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Introduced and advanced 7 pieces of healthy soils legislation.
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Stewarded the ongoing implementation of 8 state healthy soils programs.
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Organized and elevated the voices of producers in 30 state healthy soils movements.
2024 highlights include:
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Illinois Stewardship Alliance celebrated its 3rd Annual Soil Health Week, with record registrations (615 people, 25% farmers).
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The Land Stewardship Project helped to ensure that the Minnesota Soil Health Financial Assistance Program allowed farmers to rent their equipment to neighbors.
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Maine Farmland Trust created a Conservation and Climate Planner joint position with NRCS to help farmers better leverage conservation funding opportunities.
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The Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association successfully advocated for over $1 million in state grants to implement the Mass. Healthy Soils Action Plan.
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Northern Plains Resource Council organized their inaugural Montana State Soil Health Week, reaching hundreds of farmers and ranchers statewide (the result of a legislative resolution passed in April 2023).
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The Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association championed the passage of the Ohio Soil Health Week Resolution, and celebrated the inaugural event with a series of video interviews of healthy sols practitioners titled “Soil Stories.”