The document discusses strategic research directions and highlights from Canada and the US on soil health and agriculture. It outlines how agencies in both countries are developing strategies to improve agricultural production through sustainable management of natural resources. Key areas of focus include understanding soil microbial functions, long-term soil evaluations, leveraging new technologies like digital soil mapping, and developing agri-environmental indicators. The US highlights pillar areas like strengthening soil health science and international soil judging contests. Canadian highlights include agricultural and environmental indicators, science-based support for global food security, and current thematic efforts.

1. North American Presentation
Bob Turnock
June 07, 2019

2. Strategic Research Direction
• Canada and the US recognizes the vital contribution of
ecosystem services, including healthy and productive soils,
water, and biodiversity in ensuring global food security.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and
USDA/NRCS have developed various structures and
strategies to fulfill their mission
• The Agro-Ecosystem Resilience Science Strategy for
example;
• Provides strategic direction for research, development, and
knowledge transfer activities that support agricultural
production by improving agriculture’s use of natural
resources in a way that enhances the resiliency of the sector,
fosters new economic opportunities, and supports long-term
sector competitiveness.

3. Strategic Research Direction
• NRCS and AAFC have a long history of
research and development contributing to
successful implementation of soil conservation
practices. Expertise in soil fertility, soil nutrient
cycling, soil microbiology, soil conservation,
soil-plant-water relations and management of
soil landscapes located at designated Regional
Research and Development Centers,
Laboratories, Research Farms, and Technical
Demonstration Sites across Canada and the
US.

4. Science-Based Technical Support in
Decision Making for Advancing
Global Food Production
• Both Canada and the US contribute toward
achieving Global Food Security by reviewing
G20 and FAO documents, notably;
• Food security and nutrition: Challenges for
agriculture and the hidden potential of soil
• G20 Meeting of Agriculture Ministers 27-28 July
2018, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Healthy Soils to Support the role of agriculture in
Sustainable development
• International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable
Use and Management of Fertilizers

5. Science and Innovation in
Agriculture
• Understanding the contribution of soil microbial functions on
carbon, nutrient cycling, productivity and ecosystem health
• Long-term soil health evaluations on croplands and pastures
• Leveraging Space-age technologies to develop and validate
innovations in soil mapping e.g. method to map soil moisture for
agricultural water management, including flood and drought risk.
• Application of digital soil mapping technologies to the
understanding of soil and landscape processes that lead to
erosion/degradation and legacy P storage
• Research and development of agri-environmental indicators and
associated metrics that measure the environmental performance
of the agriculture sector, including soil erosion, soil salinization,
soil organic matter and annual GHG emissions and removals from
agriculture.

7. US Highlights
• Pillar 1: Strengthening the science on Soil
Health and promoting collaborations
• Pillar 2: National and International Collegiate
Soil Judging Contests/Future
• Pillar 3: Continued Emphases on Research
Agenda
• Pillar 4: MIR and Expansion of Soil Data
Library at the Kellogg Laboratory, Lincoln NE
• Pillar 5: Progress on the Finalization of
International Horizon Nomenclature

8. Canadian Highlights
Strategic Research Direction
• AAFC Agric/Envi Indicators
• Science-Based Technical Support in Decision
Making for Advancing Global Food Production
• AAFC Science and Innovation
• Current Thematic Efforts
• Global Soil Organic Carbon Map
• Related International Activities