Soil to Society

Researchers gathering barley from a small plot harvester.

Rows of emerging crops marked with plot flags.

A research team using a plot harvester in a barley field.

Bundles of buckwheat and bags of seeds labeled by variety.

Researchers operating a small tractor fitted with a planter.

Close-up of buckwheat flowers and seeds.

Funded by a USDA Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) grant, the Soil to Society project brings together crop and soil scientists, plant breeders, food scientists and engineers, population health specialists, nutrition scientists, and economists to create more nutritious, affordable, and accessible whole grain foods grown in sustainable agricultural systems. As part of the Soils and Cropping Systems Team, we are conducting field trials investigating 1) the impacts of soil management practices on soil food webs, soil health outcomes, and grain nutritional quality; and 2) the soil health and agronomic outcomes of including buckwheat and wheat crops in rotation with diversified vegetable systems.

Learn more:

View quarterly newsletters and other resources from the project
Check out this blog post about the activities from the Soils and Cropping Systems Team: “Soil Scientists Lay the Groundwork for a Healthier Food System”

Who’s involved?

Annah Young

PhD Candidate