HR0630 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0630 LRB103 39539 ECR 69763 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Soil is an essential natural resource, and Illinois farmers and professionals play a critical role in managing Illinois soil and water resources; and

WHEREAS, The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines soil health as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans; and

WHEREAS, The implementation of soil health principles across the Illinois landscape is not new but has has only recently been recognized as an urgent part of the need to prevent soil degradation, return organic resources to the soil, or composting, protect groundwater used for drinking water, and combat climate change; the degradation of soil can be rapid, while the formation and regeneration processes can be very slow; and

WHEREAS, The protection of Illinois soils is essential to long-term prosperity and sustainability of the soil and water resources of our State, counties, and cities, and the six basic principles of soil health necessary for that protection are to:

(1) minimize soil disturbance and external inputs, including reduced tillage and using compost as a beneficial product to increase soil organic matter;

(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, including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects, or keystone species, such as earthworms; and

(6) incorporate the context of local conditions in decision-making, including for example soil type, topography, and time of year; and

WHEREAS, Soil health principles and the associated voluntary practices of no-till, cover crops, nutrient management plans, and longer crop rotations enhance the ability of farmers to meet the non-point source pollution goals for nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus; it is essential to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing off of farm fields and into our watersheds; with these reduced nutrient losses from agriculture lands, which are detailed in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), farmers will be able to meet desired outcomes as outlined by the Mississippi River Basin Hypoxia Task Force for the Gulf of Mexico; and

WHEREAS, Soil health principles provide for the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through the sequestration of carbon within the upper reaches of the soil profile; 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 capacity; and

WHEREAS, Despite soil's importance to human health, the environment, nutrition and food, feed, fiber, and fuel production, there is little public awareness of the importance of soil protection; and

WHEREAS, Illinois soils are some of the best in the world, having the ability to sink carbon and reverse climate change, grow nutritious food for Illinois communities, and keep waterways clean; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that the State of Illinois actively raise awareness on the importance of soil health and promote its stewardship to safeguard this resource for future generations of Illinois citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 3 through March 9, 2024 as Illinois Soil Health Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the celebration of Soil Health Week and its related activities to increase the awareness of Illinois farmers, eaters, and those involved in agribusiness of the importance of the air and water quality environment for all citizens of this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Director of the Department of Agriculture, the Office of the Governor, the Chair of the Illinois Senate Agriculture Committee, and the Chair of the Illinois House Agriculture & Conservation Committee.