At the end of 2018 we submitted our report to NY Ag & Markets covering our activities for year one of the New York Soil Health initiative, covering 4/1/17 to 9/30/18. New York Soil Health projects benefited farmers, researchers, ag professionals, and others. Here are some highlights from our first year.

From conducting a statewide farmer survey of soil health economics to establishing our website, identity, and communication channels, it was a busy year!

We all got together in Albany for the first New York Soil Health Summit on July 18, and we spent the remaining summer and fall giving presentations, publishing survey results, and drafting the Soil Health Roadmap. Also seven papers were published in the peer-reviewed literature, three extension publications went out, and several conference abstracts were published.

During the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons we used funds to expand the Cornell Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) database to include more results from commercial apple orchards, vegetable crops, as well as corn and soybean fields.

Looking ahead we hope to publish the NY Soil Health Roadmap by the end of January, and an analysis of potential climate change mitigation benefits associated with improved soil carbon and nitrogen management is underway and will be completed by March 2019.