IV 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 210 
Supporting the designation of December 5 of each year as ‘‘National Soil 
Health Day’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 8, 2023 
Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the designation of December 5 of each year as 
‘‘National Soil Health Day’’. 
Whereas soil is an essential natural resource, and farmers 
and professionals in the United States play a critical role 
in managing United States soil and water resources; 
Whereas the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the 
Department of Agriculture defines soil health as the con-
tinued capacity of soil to function as a vital living eco-
system that sustains plants, animals, and humans; 
Whereas the concept of soil health across the United States 
landscape is not new, but is only recently recognized as 
needed to prevent soil degradation and combat climate 
change; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:29 Mar 09, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR210.IH
HR210
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
•HRES 210 IH 
Whereas the degradation of soil can be rapid, while the for-
mation and regeneration processes can be very slow; 
Whereas the protection of United States soil is essential to 
the long-term prosperity and sustainability of the soil and 
water resources of the Nation; 
Whereas the 6 basic principles of soil health necessary for 
that protection are to— 
(1) minimize soil disturbance and external inputs, 
including reduced tillage; 
(2) maximize plant and microbial diversity; 
(3) maintain the presence of living roots; 
(4) keep the soil covered, including with cover crops 
and crop residue, to armor the soil; 
(5) integrate animals into land management, includ-
ing grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects, or keystone 
species, such as earthworms; and 
(6) incorporate the context of local conditions in de-
cision making, including, for example, soil type, topog-
raphy, and time of year; 
Whereas soil health principles and its associated practices of 
no-till, cover crops, nutrient management plans, and 
longer crop rotations enhance the ability of farmers to 
meet the nonpoint source pollution goals for nitrate-nitro-
gen and phosphorus; 
Whereas it is essential to reduce the amount of nutrients 
flowing off of farm fields and into United States water-
sheds, and with these reduced nutrient losses from agri-
culture lands, farmers will be able to meet desired out-
comes as outlined by the Mississippi River Basin Hypoxia 
Task Force for the Gulf of Mexico; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:29 Mar 09, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR210.IH
HR210
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
•HRES 210 IH 
Whereas soil health principles provide for the reduction of 
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the sequestra-
tion of carbon within the upper reaches of the soil profile, 
and this carbon mitigation improves the organic matter 
content in the soil and provides a stable biome for soil 
organisms, improves nutrient transfer from soil to root, 
and increases water infiltration and water-holding capac-
ity; 
Whereas despite soil’s importance to human health, the envi-
ronment, nutrition and food, feed, fiber, and fuel produc-
tion, there is little public awareness of the importance of 
soil protection; and 
Whereas the United States should be actively raising aware-
ness of the importance of soil health and promoting its 
stewardship to safeguard this resource for future genera-
tions of United States citizens: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Soil 
Health Day’’; and 
(2) calls upon this celebration and its related 
activities to improve the awareness of United States 
farmers and agribusiness toward the importance of 
the air and water quality environment for all of the 
citizens of the United States. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:29 Mar 09, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR210.IH
HR210
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS