Cargill Soil Health Handbook

Introduction to Soil Health

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service defines soil health as “the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.

AFT Assessing Soil Health

NRCS Intro to Soil Health

Web Soil Survey

Reducing Tillage

Benefits:

• Reduce sheet, rill and wind erosion and excessive sediment in surface waters
• Reduce tillage induced particulate emissions (air quality)
• Improve soil health and maintain or increase organic content
• Reduce energy use

Check out this visual!

Cover Crops

Benefits

• Reduce sheet, rill, and wind erosion
• Maintain or increase soil organic matter
• Improve soil aggregate stability
• Improve habitat for soil organism
• Reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients
• Reduce weed and plant pest pressure
• Improve moisture management
• Reduce soil compaction
• Supply nitrogen to subsequent crop
• Improve habitat for pollinators, beneficial organisms or natural enemies of crop pests

Nutrient Management

Benefits

• Cost Savings: Farmers can save nearly $30 per acre on fertilizer costs by implementing a Nutrient Management Plan.

• Environmental Protection: Nutrient management helps protect local air, soil, and water quality by minimizing nutrient loss.

• Increased Crop Yields: Proper nutrient management can maximize crop yields while reducing nutrient loss.

• Improved Water Quality: Preventing nutrients from entering local waters ensures they can be utilized by crops, benefiting both water quality and farmer finances.

NRCS SMART Nutrient Savings

Water Management

Water management is the control and movement of water resources to minimize damage to life and property and to maximize efficient beneficial use. Good water management of dams and levees reduces the risk of harm due to flooding. Irrigation water management systems make the most efficient use of limited water supplies for agriculture. Read more here:

NRCS Water Management

Economics of Soil Health

For more research on soil health economics click here

Economics of Soil Health Case Studies

85%

Farmers reported increase in yield

Soil Health Case Study Summarized

American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Cargill recognize farmers may view soil health from a seasonal viewpoint verses a practice standpoint. In 2025, AFT followed two farmers from Illinois for an inside look at their farm.

Thank you to Salisbury Farms, Sparland, Illinois for their participation in this series!

Thank you!

We would like to especially thank the farmers that made this project possible, including: Eric Niemeyer, MadMax Farms Greg McGlinch, Down Home Farms Daryl Maple, Maple Farms Roric Paulman, Paulman Farms Randy Salisbury, Salisbury Farms Jayden Salisbury, Salisbury Farms

Wrap up