Quotes capturing the importance of soil to our existence are not difficult to find. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has compiled a list on its website, with contributions ranging from Homer to the Indigo Girls. Perhaps not surprisingly, you will find a few of those quotes in this report. What most on the list have in common is the connectivity of the well-being of humanity to the health of soil.

Yet, soil, compared to other earth systems, is understudied. This neglect is partly because what is out of sight is out of mind, and the complexity of soil processes is definitely out of sight. That connects to another problem with soils: what is out of sight is often difficult to study.

However, with technological advances, seeing and sensing what goes on below the surface is becoming more feasible and, with each passing day, a little less expensive. These capabilities could not come soon enough to address challenges humanity faces in the 21st century: global warming, food security and malnutrition, and antibiotic resistance. In all these threats, soil has a role to play.

Furthermore, we can use our increasing knowledge of soil processes not just to address these challenges but to restore function and preserve biodiversity in the soils we have largely taken for granted as we have worked to feed the world’s growing population over the last century. We can also explore the complexity and connectivity of the microorganisms that live in soil, on plants, and in us and possibly unlock new opportunities to improve health in all three domains.

These are not small topics to tackle, and I want to thank my fellow committee members for their dedication to our task to explore linkages between soil health and human health. Writing this report required more than a year of service. Through numerous in-person meetings and Zoom calls and countless revisions, they stayed focused on their commitment, bringing their diverse expertise and working constructively in groups and as an entire team to address a broad statement of task. I learned a great deal from each one, and I appreciate all the time they volunteered to see this report through to completion.

I also want to thank the presenters and reviewers who gave of their time to make this report better. We learned so much from the many researchers who took time out of their days to share their work with us, and I hope that they see their science in our report. The reviewers’ detailed comments helped us take a second look at our evidence and arguments and improve both.

The work of the committee would not have been possible without the support of Kara Laney, study director, and Katherine Kane, senior program assistant. Kara’s years of experience as a study director showed as she wrangled our fragments of text and sweeping conversations into a linear report. No one would have guessed that this was Katherine’s first time supporting a study; she was a pro from the very start.

On behalf of the committee, I want to say that I hope this report contributes to a focus of attention on the importance of soil health that does not fade. A generation from now, we should be able to say that we have learned a great deal more about soil health and its contributions to our own health, but we will not have to justify its importance. We will prioritize soil health because it is evident, just as it has been evident to those quoted throughout history.

Diana H. Wall, Chair

Committee on Exploring Linkages Between Soil Health and Human Health