PIERRE, SD – South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has proclaimed March 9-15, 2025, to be Soil Health Awareness Week.
Agriculture is South Dakota’s most important industry, contributing 129,753 jobs, 11.7 billon dollars in total value added, and 32.1 billion dollars in total output. This economic driver for the state relies on healthy soil to function properly.
Farmers and ranchers have seen a need to increase awareness of the importance of soil as a state resource, promoting management practices that increase its health and productivity. Healthy soil can create many advantages including improving water infiltration and retention to better manage the effects of flood or drought, filtering and cleaning water that moves through it, and decreasing soil loss due to erosion by wind or water.
As part of the its Soil Health Awarness Week activities, the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition will provide lunch for lawmakers and their staff members from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on March 13 in the Capitol Rotunda in Pierre. Coalition board members, staff, and agricultural producers will be on hand to answer questions about regenerative land management and the benefits of soil health. They also will be available for interviews.
If you would like to interview soil health experts or producers employing regenerative agriculture practices, please contact South Dakota Soil Health Coalition Communications Coordinator Stan Wise at stan.soilhealth@sdconservation.net or 605-368-4091.
