Celebrate World Soil Day
December 5 is World Soil Day!
Dirt. Mud. Soil. Whatever you call it, it’s more than just the stuff that sticks to your boots or gets under your nails. Soil is alive, filled with life, and it’s the foundation of every bite we take. In fact, 95% of the world’s food is grown in soil, making it an invaluable resource in agriculture. Yet, soil doesn’t just naturally replenish itself—farmers in Ontario and worldwide play a critical role in ensuring that our soil remains fertile and healthy for future generations.
Soil is alive!
It might surprise you, but soil is bustling with life. A single teaspoon of healthy soil contains billions of microscopic organisms: bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, nematodes, and more. These microbes work together to cycle nutrients, create soil structure, and help plants manage stress from drought or disease. Additionally, soil is home to creatures like earthworms, ants, and other insects. The living organisms that live in, thrive, and grow as part of our soil, keep the soil healthy to support crop health and productivity.
Each year on December 5th, World Soil Day highlights the need for healthy soil ecosystems and encourages sustainable soil management practices. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations initiated this campaign to raise global awareness of soil’s critical role. Here in Ontario, local farmers have been answering that call through numerous practices to maintain and improve soil health.
Ontario farmers: Stewards of the soil
Ontario farmers understand that healthy soil means healthy crops and ultimately healthy food. They use Best Management Practices (BMPs) tailored to their land’s unique needs, ensuring they leave the soil in better condition than they found it. Some of the ways they do this include:
- Cover Cropping: Planting crops like clover or rye in the offseason to prevent erosion, increase organic matter, and improve soil structure.
- Conservation Tillage: Reducing how often the soil is turned over to protect the organic matter and avoid disturbing beneficial soil life.
- Field Edge Management: Maintaining wild, grassy borders around fields to prevent soil erosion and promote biodiversity.
- Soil Testing: Regularly testing soil to track nutrient levels and understand each field’s needs before planting.
Fun soil facts to dig into
- It’s Packed with Life: There are more living organisms in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on Earth!
- Soil Takes Time: It takes about 500 years to form 2.5 centimeters of topsoil, which is the most valuable layer for growing food.
- Ontario’s Soil Diversity: Ontario has four primary soil types—clay, sand, silt, and the fertile Holland Marsh soil. Not all soils are alike and farmer will manages the different soil types differently. There is not a one size fits all approach to managing soil farms or even in each field!
- Air, Water, and Organic Matter: Healthy soil is made up of 50% air and water, with the other 50% being organic matter, including decomposing materials found from plants and animals.
Why soil health matters
The basic properties of soils are:
- Soil is a habitat for soil organism life
- Soil can store and drain water in a landscape
- Soil can cycle nutrients (absorb, transform and release)
- Soil can provide structure to anchor roots
According to the United Nations (UN) agency, a third of the Earth’s soil is degraded, or the quality of the soil decreases in its ability to support plants or animals. Without healthy soil, our food systems would crumble. Soil supports the growth of grains like Ontario’s barley, corn, oats, soybeans, and wheat, feeding both people and animals. A poor soil loses its ability to support life- which means less healthy crops, and poor yields. Ontario farmers understand this reality well, which is why they’re committed to preserving and enhancing this precious resource. Healthy soil isn’t just about farming—it’s about sustaining our food supply, protecting the environment, and fostering a resilient ecosystem.
Let’s celebrate World Soil Day together
On December 5, let’s remember that soil is more than just “dirt.” It’s a living, breathing ecosystem that deserves our respect and care. By raising awareness and supporting sustainable practices, we can all play a part in preserving soil health. After all, healthy food starts from the ground up. Join us in celebrating #WorldSoilDay and honoring the hard work of #YourFarmers in Ontario and beyond who protect the soil beneath our feet, feeding our communities and the world.
