The North Central Region Soil Health Nexus is a university-led team dedicated to increasing access to research-based soil health knowledge, extension and resources.

The team was created in 2015 with funding from the North Central Region Water Network.  The team is structured around research, extension and outreach, and resources and communications with representatives from all 12 North Central Region states.

Check out our Soil Health Toolbox, including our newly released whitepaper on the connection between Soil Health and Water Quality and our newly created Soil Health Nexus Matrix Decision-Tool!

New: The Financial Implications of Conservation Agriculture: Insights from Analyses of Farms in the Upper Midwest. This booklet aims to inform farmers’ key partners about the costs and benefits of conservation agriculture to assist their work with farmers.

Soil Health Digital Café Series

The Soil Health Nexus is hosting a series of informal soil health webinars featuring Extension soil health experts and researchers from across the region discussing the latest soil health research, resources, and news. The webinars will take place monthly; they will be an hour in length with 20-minute presentation, followed by 10-minutes of Q&A and then a casual 30-minute Digital Café where attendees can continue to discuss the topic in more depth with Soil Health Nexus members.

Most Recent Webinar:

Soil health and nutrient management: What it can and cannot do
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 2pm CT/3pm ET – View the recording

Improved soil health provides several benefits to crops and water quality.  However, there are limitations and as a result, some misconceptions exist. This Digital Cafe featured Chad Penn, Research Soil Scientist at USDA-ARS and Adjunct Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University, who addressed how improved soil health impacts soil fertility and nutrient transport, as well as dispelling common myths.