USDA Joins Global Partners to Celebrate Year of Soils in 2015

The USDA has joined nations around the globe to kick off the International Year of Soils, an effort to highlight the importance of soil in everyday life.

“We are excited to be working with the United Nations to help raise awareness and promote the importance of conservation of our soil resources,” said Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie. “USDA is embracing this unique opportunity to tell the world about the importance of soil conservation and how we’ve worked with private landowners since 1935 to protect and improve this priceless natural resource.”

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spearheaded the global International Year of Soils campaign within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership. The year of awareness aims to increase understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions. Soils play a crucial role in food security, hunger eradication, climate change adaptation, poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Read more about International Year of Soils here.