Salinas, Merkley, Wyden Introduce Legislation to Invest in Soil Health Education

Washington, DC – Today,U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06), joined by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), introduced the Soil Conservation & Regeneration Education (Soil CARE) Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation would invest in regenerative agriculture education and help local farmers and producers be more resilient to extreme weather.

Sens. Merkley and Wyden introduced the Senate version of this bill last week. U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), and Val Hoyle (OR-04) are original cosponsors of the legislation.

“As we continue to suffer the effects of extreme weather in Oregon, it’s critical that our local farmers and producers have the tools they need to adapt. That includes helping them implement the latest regenerative agriculture and soil health management practices,” said Rep. Salinas. “This legislation will ensure USDA personnel and third-party service providers are properly trained and equipped to help producers rebuild degraded lands and increase profitability and resilience.” 

“Dynamic lands and ecosystems have defined Oregon for ages and have supported Oregon’s world-class agriculture industry,” said Sen. Merkley. “As climate chaos continues to make the West hotter and dryer, it’s important our farmers, ranchers, and land stewards have the resources and tools needed to keep their lands adaptable and resilient. This bill is a necessary step in keeping supporting farmers and ranchers across America.”

“Farmers across the country continue to feel the devastating effects of the climate crisis. It is essential they be equipped with the tools they need to fully benefit from existing federal programs that will help,” said Sen. Wyden. “As the author of the Soil Health Demonstration Trial program in the last Farm Bill, I am all in for providing more tools to improve the resiliency of crops and the health of our planet.” 

Education and technical support are crucial for the successful implementation of conservation priorities in the US. Unfortunately, due to under-investment in training, as well as rapid advances in regenerative agriculture and soil health management systems, there is a knowledge gap that exists in supporting producers in building resilient and profitable agriculture systems. The Soil CARE Act would invest in more training and education for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) personnel and technical service providers (TSPs), ensuring they can offer adequate technical assistance to farmers and producers. 

Specifically, the Soil CARE Act would:

• Develop and deliver curriculum within one year of passage;
• Develop a nationally-available online training curriculum;
• Encourage all relevant USDA personnel (NRCS and TSPs) to complete online training within three years of the Farm Bill passage;
• Hold annual soil health workshops and training sessions;
• Dedicate resources to providing required continuing education for all NRCS and TSPs; and
• Require NRCS to use the training curriculum to develop soil health education materials for producers. 

The Soil CARE Act is endorsed by over 180 organizations and businesses, including OrCAN (Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network) and Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), as well as members of the Regenerate America coalition which includes Kiss the Ground, the American Sustainable Business Network, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Green America, and Earthjustice.

“Farmers and ranchers across the country are proving that through biological soil health management and regenerative practices such as cover crops, no-till, and holistic grazing, they can build healthy soil faster than ever thought possible–reducing costly chemical inputs, sequestering carbon, lessening impacts from floods and droughts, and increasing biodiversity. But while producers are ready to adopt these approaches, they don’t have access to the education and training needed to do so. The Soil CARE Act would provide the much-needed training to NRCS staff and technical service providers, so they can better support and train farmers and ranchers. We are grateful to Senators Merkley, Wyden, and Congresswoman Salinas for their leadership on soil health as a key solution to the climate, health, and water crises we face,” said Finian Makpeace, co-founder of Kiss the Ground, convener of the Regenerate America Coalition.

“Farmers and ranchers that have adopted soil health management and regenerative practices are not only restoring healthy soils, they are building resilience on working lands. As a changing climate creates increasingly difficult growing conditions, and the U.S. continues to lose 4.6 tons of soil per acre each year, it is imperative that we invest in common sense solutions to ensure a strong future for American agriculture. The Soil CARE Act would put the USDA-NRCS on track to be an accessible source of education and training for farmers and ranchers across the country looking to successfully regenerate their land, and we are grateful to Congresswoman Salinas, Senator Merkley, and Senator Wyden for their leadership on this important issue,” said Ayesha Ali, Policy Manager at Kiss the Ground.

In July, Salinas introduced another bill that would encourage farmers to adopt innovative soil health practices, bolstering their land’s resiliency and reducing carbon emissions.

To read the full text of this legislation, click here.

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