Oregon Lawmakers Reintroduce Soil CARE Act

Members of Oregon’s Congressional Delegation have reintroduced legislation they say will ensure farmers and ranchers have access to information and tools to improve long-term soil health.

The lawmakers, including Oregon senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with representative Andrea Salinas, Suzanne Bonamici, and Val Hoyle, says the Soil Conservation And Regeneration Education , or Soil CARE Act, will help farmers navigate degraded lands and increase resilience to climate chaos-fueled extreme weather events like floods and droughts, and promote profitability.

The Soil CARE Act would: 

• Develop and deliver curriculum on soil health management systems within one year of passage
• Develop a nationally-available online training curriculum
• Encourage all relevant personnel, such as NRCS staff and third-party technical service providers (TSPs), to complete online training every two years to learn about the latest soil health innovations and scientific and technological advancements
• Hold annual soil health workshops and training sessions
• Dedicate resources to providing required continuing education for all NRCS and TSPs
• Require NRCS to use the training curriculum to develop soil health education materials for producers. 

This Legislation Will Help Oregon Farmers Now And Into The Future

“Drought and all the radically unseasonable weather impacts of the climate crisis have landed hard on farmers in Oregon and nationwide," said Wyden. “That’s why federal support for tools like those in this legislation is so urgently needed to support U.S. agriculture continuing to grow crops that are renowned around the globe.” 

“Oregon’s world-class agriculture industry deserves strong federal support to continue thriving, and that includes supporting the health of our lands and ecosystems, which have defined our state for generations,” said Merkley. “As climate chaos continues to make the West hotter and drier, we must ensure our farmers, ranchers, and land stewards have the resources and tools they need to keep their lands adaptable and resilient, leading to healthy and regenerative soils.”

“Healthy soil is key to growing a healthy agricultural economy,” said Bonamici.“Climate change, runoff pollution, and extreme weather threaten this foundation, risking farmers’ livelihoods and their ability to put food on the table for people in NW Oregon and across the country. Managing soil health will help to mitigate these effects by absorbing carbon in soil, producing more resilient crops, safer food, and cleaner air." 

"From our Christmas trees to our hazelnuts, Oregonians produce some of the best crops in the world. However, with the growing threat of climate change and extreme weather, access to new technologies like regenerative agriculture and soil health management are essential to maintaining our world-class products,”said Salinas. “Our bill would guarantee USDA personnel and third-party service providers are trained to help producers restore degraded lands, increase profitability, and build generational resilience.”

“Oregon’s farmers and producers are on the front lines of climate change, facing more intense storms, flooding, drought and unpredictable growing seasons—especially in our coastal and rural communities,” said Hoyle. “The Soil CARE Actinvests in the education, training, and soil health tools farmers need to build resilience, protect their land and maintain a thriving business. We’re supporting the backbone of our local economy and helping ensure Oregonian farmers and their families can thrive for generations to come.”

Legislation Has Wide Support

The Soil CARE Act is endorsed by Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network (OrCAN), Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), Bob’s Red Mill, Earthjustice Action, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Green America / Soil & Climate Alliance, American Sustainable Business Network, United We Eat, Climate Reality Project Regenerative Agriculture Coalition, US Composting Council, Compost Manufacturing Alliance, InCommon Group, Green Mountain Technologies, Inc., New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group, CA Association of Compost Producers, Terra Regenerative Capital, World Centric, Eco-Cycle, and Naturepedic Organic Mattresses.

Click Here to learn more about the Soil CARE Act.

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