Wallaces Farmer

How are you celebrating #WorldSoilDay?

Compiled by staff

December 5, 2019

2 Min Read

Today, Dec. 5, is #WorldSoilDay, an annual awareness day to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for sustainable soil resource management.

When did it start?

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th United Nations General Assembly. The Assembly designated Dec. 5, 2014, as the first official World Soil Day.

What is soil important?

Soil acts as a water filter and a growing medium; provides habitat for billions of organisms, contributes to biodiversity; and supplies most of the antibiotics used to fight diseases, according to the Soil Science Society of America.

Did you know?

Here's some soil trivia in honor of #WorldSoilDay:

  • There are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than there are people on the earth.

  • Almost all of the antibiotics we take to help us fight infections were obtained from soil microorganisms.

  • 70% of the weight of a text book or glossy paged magazine is soil.

Here's some of the #WorldSoilDay conversation on Twitter.

#WorldSoilDay graphic

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like