Soil Health Specialist Trainees at January workshop. Photo: Hayley Rylander
In January the Practical Soil Health Specialist Training Program completed their final session. Congratulations to all participants! The specialists will now take their training to the field and work with farmers across New York State.
The Practical Soil Health Specialist Training Program is a NE-SARE funded project of the American Farmland Trust. Project collaborators include New York Soil Health, Cornell Soil Health Laboratory, Cornell University, NRCS, New York Department of Ag and Markets, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Small Farms Program, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, agri-businesses, and farmers.
This is a 3-year program for 20 agricultural service professionals across New York State. The goal is to establish a network of Practical Soil Health professionals to support and educate farmers to improve soil health on their land. Specialist trainees get an in-depth understanding of what soil health is, how it can be measured and monitored over time, and how soil health can be improved through holistic, adaptive, and data-driven soil management.
One of the first outreach events organized by a graduate of the program is by Soil Health Specialist Tucker Kautz with Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District. The Feb. 12 Soil Health Workshop is in Stanley, NY. More info.