The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) Incentive Grant, offered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), provides funding to farmers and ranchers in California, to implement soil conservation management practices with the goal of increasing soil health and carbon sequestration, and reducing atmospheric greenhouse gasses. CDFA tracks organic matter content through annual soil testing for the three year grant term, which is done prior to the implementation of the growers HSP project. Organic matter content is one indicator of soil health. Ideally, if sampling techniques and locations are consistent, organic matter values will increase after each implementation year. Recently CDFA has initiated a Soil Health Pilot to collect and track additional soil health metrics to provide additional context to soil health. This project is supported by the Climate Smart Agriculture Team throughout the state, and the data collected in this pilot will inform future HSP grant solicitations and the soil sampling required. There were two HSP projects selected in San Diego County. Both projects included mulching as one of their practices, both in orchard systems.
In additional to organic matter values, the Soil Health Pilot includes additional soil lab analyses and in-field soil testing. Please review the table below for additional information on each soil health metric:
| Soil Health Metric | Description |
| Soil Organic Matter | Usually communicated as a %, the proportion of organic material in the soil |
| CO2 Soil Respiration 24 Hour Test | Measures the amount of carbon dioxide produced during 24 hours. More CO2 indicates more microbial activity |
| POX-C | Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon, measures the amount of readily available carbon for microbial use |
| Total Carbon | Measures both organic and inorganic carbon in the soil |
| Total Nitrogen | Measures the total amount of Nitrogen in the soil |
| Soil Infiltration | Calculates the rate it takes for water to infiltrate or enter the soil |
| Soil Bulk Density | Indicates how compacted the soil is. A higher bulk density means less pore space, and less space for root growth |
| Soil Color | Can indicate the soils composition, organic matter content, or mineral composition |
| Aggregate Stability | Measures how strong soil aggregates are to slaking, when placed in water for a period of time |
Soil is a complex ecosystem so having additional information provides a more holistic view of your overall soil health. Are you interested in the Healthy Soils Program or would like to know more about your soil? Contact your local Community Education Specialist for assistance.
San Diego and Riverside Counties:
Michael Jaquez
(619) 876-6421