New Steps to Advance Soil Sustainability

“[T]he White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in collaboration with Federal agencies and private-sector stakeholders, is announcing new steps to work towards the long-term health and sustainable use of one of America’s most important natural resources: its soil.”

The guidance provides for action in three key areas, as follows:

• “Promoting interdisciplinary research and education, to answer key questions on rates of soil genesis and erosion, the role of soils in bioenergy production, the development of advanced soil sensors, and research to better understand non-agricultural soils.
• Advancing computational tools and modeling, to improve analytical capacity and develop a robust predictive framework in studying soil properties, including pursuing a more sophisticated understanding of soil-carbon fluxes and the potential for soil-carbon sequestration.
• Expanding sustainable agricultural practices, to ensure farmers and ranchers have the information and tools they need to protect and enhance agricultural soils and ensure global soils can continue to provide food security and climate benefits for future generations.”

On 05-DEC-2016, in support of soil efforts, the National Science and Technology Council’s Soil Science Interagency Working Group (SSIWG) released “The State and Future of U.S. Soils,” which is aimed at informing development of a federal strategic plan for soil science.

See the attached Framework:  ssiwg_framework_december_2016

Comments on the Framework are being accepted until 10-JAN-2017.