Land Core Publishes Soil Health & Agriculture Policy Recommendations HHS
Policy Overview to Advance Soil Health Within US Department of Health & Human Services
Soil health is not only the foundation of our nation’s food security and resilience, it is the bedrock of American public health. Prioritizing soil health is a vital yet often overlooked key to more nutritious food, disease prevention, and community wellbeing.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is well positioned to lead on policies and programs that advance the connection between human health and soil health.
Here is a high-level list of policies that the incoming administration could implement at HHS to advance soil health as a foundational vehicle in the pursuit of human health. The policies are streamlined to highlight key initiatives and combined actions across agencies for maximum effectiveness.
Recognizing USDA’s leadership and essential role in policy and programs pertaining to production agriculture, we also recommend that HHS build on its work and maximize efficiency by collaborating as much as possible with USDA and integrating agricultural stakeholders into decision making and program design.
1. Integrate Soil Health into Public Health Policy and Education
Agencies Involved:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Partnerships with the Department of Education
Key Actions:
Prioritize Healthy Soils in Procurement & Purchasing
Lead by example across all HHS agencies and facilities, including on-site cafeterias etc., by prioritizing food and/or ingredients from farms or vendors using soil health or regenerative agriculture practices in its procurement and purchasing.
Update procurement and purchasing guidelines for other government agencies and institutions to recommend that food and/or ingredients be procured by farms or vendors using soil health or regenerative agriculture practices.
Integrate soil health considerations into initiatives like Healthy People 2030, emphasizing the link between soil health, nutrition, and disease prevention.
Incorporate Soil Health into National Health Objectives
Influence public and institutional practices by highlighting how soil health affects food quality and public health outcomes.
Continue to prioritize the Food as Medicine initiative at ODPHP.
Integrate Soil Health into Dietary Guidelines
Collaborate with the USDA to include soil health impacts in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, informing better food choices.
Frame guidelines to prioritize resilient agriculture systems, soil health, and microbial biodiversity, in order for food to be nutritious.
Develop Public Education Initiatives
Coordinate with ODPHP and CDC to create materials to educate healthcare providers, educators, and the public about the importance of soil health.
Launch national campaigns to raise awareness of how soil health affects nutrition and overall well-being.
Help demonstrate that diverse microbes found in healthy soils contribute to the composition and richness of the human microbiome (which in turn influence immune health and the modulation of chronic disease development).
Collaborate with the Department of Education
Introduce soil health topics that relate to human health into school curricula.
Promote school garden programs that teach sustainable practices and improve soil health awareness among students.
Prioritize Funding for Soil Health Research
Direct NIH to prioritize and expand funding for studies on soil health’s impact on human health; for example, the beneficial impacts of soil health in nutrition, and the potential for healthy soils to minimize exposure to harmful substances.
Establish Data Sharing Platforms
Create systems for sharing research findings among researchers, policymakers, and public health officials to inform evidence-based policies and practices related to soil health.
Incorporate Soil Health into Public Health Guidance
Develop guidance to emphasize the importance of soil health in nutrition and wellness. Land Core, a
2. Promote and Expand Access to Healthier Foods Grown in Healthy Soils and Build Community Well-Being
Agencies Involved:
Administration for Community Living (ACL)
Office of Minority Health (OMH)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Partnerships with USDA
Key Actions:
Develop Community Engagement and Nutrition Programs
Support projects in collaboration with USDA to establish community gardens and urban farms using soil health practices.
Collaborate with USDA to advocate for incorporating soil health considerations into SNAP. ○ Develop complementary programs within its existing nutrition initiatives to promote the consumption of foods grown in healthy soils.
Support Soil Health As Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives
Support programs using gardening in healthy soils and nature exposure as therapeutic tools for mental health.
Promote accessible green spaces with healthy soils to improve community well-being.
Promote Health Equity Efforts
Focus on underserved communities to improve access to nutritious foods that come from healthy soils and address health disparities.
3. Promote Soil Health Practices and Reduce Exposure to Toxins
Agencies Involved:
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Office of Environmental Justice (OEJ)
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Key Actions:
Support Soil Health-Focused Agriculture and Land Use
Support community health initiatives at HRSA that include education on soil health’s impact on community nutrition and health outcomes.
Provide training and resources on practices to improve soil health and human health, in collaboration with USDA.
Enhance Food Safety Through Healthy Soils for Human Health
Support FDA to work on setting increased focus on contaminants known to arise from degraded soils.
Have ATSDR and CDC lead efforts to remediate contaminated soils and develop guidelines to minimize exposure to toxins.
Advance Protections for Communities
Work with OEJ and OCR to ensure policies address disparities, protecting marginalized communities from disproportionate exposure to soil contaminants.
By concentrating on these three core areas, the new presidential administration can effectively leverage the existing HHS framework to Make America Healthy Again by advancing soil health.
For more detailed recommendations or questions, contact Aria McLauchlan, Co-Founder & Executive Director, aria@landcore.org
Land Core is a 501(c)3 organization that works closely with the USDA, legislators, producers, soil scientists, NGOs and financial institutions across the country to develop policy recommendations that build healthy soils, resilient farmers and national food security. This includes guiding the successful passage of language in both the House and Senate supporting soil health outcomes at the USDA and helping to secure over $50M in federal investment in Soil Health in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Resources: The Land Core Soil Health Bill Tracker is a comprehensive tool designed to monitor and analyze legislation related to soil health and resilience. It can be used to support bills that align with the priorities of strengthening American agriculture, promoting energy independence, and revitalizing rural communities.
Contact: Aria McLauchlan, Co-Founder & Executive Director, aria@landcore.org