US expert presents soil health measurement method in Argentina

As regenerative agriculture programs and carbon markets expand, the need for concrete data on soil health is growing. Companies seeking to understand their environmental impact and producers implementing new management practices require reliable indicators. This demand was a central theme at the Aapresid Congress in Rosario, Argentina, with support from Expoagro.

Cristine Morgan, a researcher from the U.S. Soil Health Institute (SHI), introduced a methodology designed to measure soil health simply, comparably, and on a large scale. Her presentation drew a large crowd, filling the hall and attracting attendees who followed from outside.

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The health of the soil has to do with the soil functioning well to do something.

Morgan defined soil health as "the soil functioning well to do something." As a soil physicist, she explained her approach centers on water movement: how well water infiltrates the soil after rain, how deep it penetrates, and whether it remains available for plant roots and microorganisms or runs off the surface. She illustrated this with examples of two fields after rain: one under conventional tillage showing erosion and surface crusting, and another under no-till with cover crops, where the cover facilitated infiltration.

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We are experiencing very wet or very dry periods, very hot, very cold. These extremes are becoming greater.

She linked soil health to climate resilience, noting the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. "We are experiencing very wet or very dry periods, very hot, very cold. These extremes are becoming greater," Morgan stated, emphasizing that "it is even more important to care for our soils and let the soils take care of us."

The SHI aims to translate academic knowledge into practical tools that quantify how agricultural practices build resilience. Morgan highlighted the need for a "scientifically credible, accessible, and communicable methodology" useful for producers, supply chains, policymakers, and investors. This led to the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements, involving scientists assessing 124 long-term research sites across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. The project identified key indicators: organic carbon concentration, aggregate stability, carbon mineralization potential, and available water-holding capacity. These indicators, Morgan explained, allow for the evaluation of biological activity, soil structure, infiltration, and water availability for crops.

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What we are looking for is a scientifically credible, accessible, and communicable methodology.