In-Field Soil Health Assessments for Conservation Planning.

Both in-field and laboratory measurements are important for assessing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil health. An updated national in-field soil health assessment protocol is being developed by NRCS to assist conservation planners in the preliminary stages of documenting resource concerns and planning appropriate conservation practices on cropland.

We will summarize existing methods from state specific NRCS soil health score cards and other sources, and present a national template for in-field measurement methods. Indicators of soil health such as residue cover, compaction, surface crust, structure/tilth, aggregate stability, smell, roots and pores, soil food web, and soil color will be presented along with simple, rapid, qualitative and semi-quantative in-field measurement methods.