Congressman Krishnamoorthi Introduces Resolution To Designate National Soil Health Day
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced a resolution designating December 5th as "National Soil Health Day" in recognition of the importance of the health of the nation's soil to economic and general wellbeing of Americans. National Soil Health Day would serve as a reminder to all those involved in American agriculture to use safe and responsible soil practices, including cover crops and longer crop rotations, to avoid degradation, and the increased vulnerability to flood, drought, and disease it carries with it. While soil health can degrade rapidly, the regeneration process can take decades to fully recover, with some estimates projecting 90 percent of the world's soil will be degraded by 2050 at the current pace, according to a report from the United Nations.
"The health of our soil is paramount for our food supply, our economy, and in our fight against climate change," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "I'm proud to introduce this resolution to make December 5th National Soil Health Day to promote the importance of protecting our soil and safeguarding it for generations to come."
"Farmers in the Alliance Soil Health Caucus worked hard to educate state lawmakers on the value of declaring a Soil Health Week in Illinois," Liz Rupel, Lead Organizer at Illinois Stewardship Alliance. "So for a member of Congress to recognize the importance of protecting and celebrating soil health and seek out our assistance was the cherry on top. Illinois farmers would be delighted to see a National Soil Health Day dedicated to celebrating one of our most valuable natural resources, our soil."