The Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) will host the first Summit on Canadian Soil Health Dec. 1 in Calgary, Alta., in conjunction with the GrowCanada 2015 Conference. Participants will hear from best-selling author David Montgomery, who will provide the keynote address and talk about his book, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations. In addition, producer, industry, science and government representatives will lead discussions on existing and emerging challenges and solutions to soil health concerns within agriculture._x000D_
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Designated by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, 2015 is the International Year of Soils. Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable food production, enhanced biodiversity, as well as cleaner air and water for present and future generations. “Only five per cent of land in Canada is suitable for agricultural purposes,” says Paul Thoroughgood, SCCC chair. “This land is under threat from soil degradation, urban sprawl and other uses. As producers and industry stakeholders, we all need to work together to promote management practices and production systems that will keep our agricultural landscape healthy.” For more information and to register for the conference, visit www.soilcc.ca.
