Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future

This proposal is for the development of the 18^th Annual SWCS-SSSA Joint Symposium which would be held at the 2017 SWCS and SSSA annual meetings. The topic of conservation databases is of very high interest to members of the SWCS and SSSA, and it's important for maintaining food security. This symposium is occurring at a key time when both societies are considering how to handle publication of databases in journal articles, as well as looking for other potential ways for scientists to publish their databases. Reduction of off-site transport of nutrients from agricultural landscapes via atmospheric, surface and/or leaching pathways for nutrient loss is a great challenge. This is a topic of great importance and interest to both societies, especially during these times when a new farm bill (2018) is in development and there are budget constraints. Implementing a nutrient management database to facilitate data archiving and retrieval at a national level will facilitate the availability of information for users and will contribute to team efforts to evaluate the potential positive impacts of best management practices and the development and implementation of these practices. It will also be useful for calibrating and validating new tools and software systems. Additionally, NUOnet could facilitate identifying the connections between other key areas such as soil biology and human and animal health. This joint symposium will continue the tradition of cooperation between professional societies and help bring together scientists, conservation practitioners, other national and international cooperators, and the general public. It will also help “jumpstart” a conversation about NUOnet  and other emerging databases. The SWCS and SSSA have always been at the forefront of conservation and soil science, and the topic of this symposium connects with the theme of this year’s ASA/CSSA/SSSA meeting: “Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future.”