Soil Health and Its Benefits
Photo credit: compost pile at Sakari Farms, by Jamie Thrower
This page offers resources that define soil health and soil health practices, and highlight the climate mitigation/resilience, economic, and social/cultural benefits of healthy soils.
What is soil health?
Unlock the Secrets in the Soil: Principles for High Functioning Soils
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
A USDA NRCS resource outlining the four principles of soil health, key practices, and their benefits.
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
An interactive USDA NRCS story map exploring soil’s role in agriculture, with videos on conservation and management practices
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Soil: The dirty secrets of a living landscape
Oregon State University Extension, 2020 (revised 2025)
An overview to get to know your soil, conduct on-farm assessments, and understand how to apply soil health principles on your land.
Indigenous and Ancestral Soil Health Practices
Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network, 2025
OrCAN recognizes that soil health practices and principles are not new. Soil health practices have long been part of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) passed down by Indigenous peoples across generations. Practices like no-till farming, rotational grazing, mulching, composting, and more are grounded in deep relationships with the land. Read more about the practices, peoples, and organizations supporting Cultural Science and TEK.​​
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Diego Footer, 2023
A podcast by Diego Footer featuring experts discussing soil science, composting, cover cropping, biochar, no-till, fungi, and related topics.
Photo credit: Sakari Farms, by Jamie Thrower
Soil health and climate mitigation
​Combating Climate Change on US Cropland: Affirming the technical capacity of cover cropping and no-till to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
American Farmland Trust, 2021
This report focuses on the significant potential of no-till and cover crop practices to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for a net reduction in GHG emissions. It summarizes soil science as well as the social science of practice adoption.
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The Role of Agriculture in Climate Change Mitigation
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2024
This brochure outlines how agriculture in the US contributes to, and can be part of the solution of mitigating, climate change.
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The role of soil carbon in natural climate solutions
Bossio, et. al., 2020
This study examines the role of soil carbon in natural (land-based) climate solutions and estimated that soil carbon could deliver up to 25% of the potential of all natural climate solutions combined (total potential, 23.8 Gt of CO2-equivalent per year), of which 40% is protection of existing soil carbon and 60% is rebuilding depleted stocks. Specifically, soil carbon comprises 9% of the mitigation potential of forests, 72% for wetlands and 47% for agriculture and grasslands.
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Climate Mitigation Potential of Regenerative Agriculture is Significant!
Paustian, et. al., 2020
This report from leading scientists asserts that “the science is clear that regenerative agriculture can in fact contribute significant emission reductions and CO2 removal, as well as improve soil health.”
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Natural climate solutions for the United States
Fargione, et. al., 2018
This study quantifies the soil carbon sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas potential of natural climate solutions, including agricultural solutions, in the US. It also recognizes the additional benefits of these solutions for water use efficiency, flood control, soil health, wildlife habitat and climate resilience.
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Carbon Sequestration Potential on Agricultural Lands: A Review of Current Science and Available Practices
Daniel Kane, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition & Breakthrough Strategies and Solutions LLC, 2015
This review includes a section on Soil Carbon 101, and explores agricultural systems that could sequester carbon
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Gosnell, et. al., 2020
This study explores the principles and practices associated with the larger enterprise of ‘regenerative ranching’, which includes managed grazing but infuses the practice with holistic decision-making. The authors argue that this broader approach is appealing due to a suite of ecological, economic and social benefits, making climate change mitigation an afterthought, or ‘co-benefit’.
Hope Below Our Feet: Peer-reviewed Publications on Well-managed Grazing to Improve Rangeland Ecology, Increase Soil Carbon, and Mitigate Global Warming
Soil4Climate Inc., 2025
This document compiles many publications from around the world regarding rangeland and soil health for climate change mitigation.
Photo credit: Sakari Farms, by Jamie Thrower
Soil health and economics​
Economics of Soil Health Systems
National Association of Conservation Districts
This project was conducted by the Soil Health Institute (SHI) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) to provide farmers with the economic information they need when making the decision to implement soil health practices. Read through the stories of 30 producers nationwide, including one in Oregon.
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American Farmland Trust
These case studies quantify economic and environmental benefits of soil health practices across different farming systems throughout the US. They can be used by farmers and the greater members of the farm conservation community to learn about the costs and benefits of adopting soil health practices.​
Disclaimer
OrCAN shares resources related to soil health, from a variety of sources. OrCAN does not necessarily endorse all of the content on this page and may not share the views and opinions of the authors or associated organizations.