Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Summary of minutes from 2025 annual meetings: 

In 2025, we met informally on September 18 and November 18 to address W1196 objectives 1 and 2, and to discuss a path forward for renew of W1196 in 2026 (including new leadership for the next five years). 

Objectives

Objective 1: Identify best soil health management practices for western US agroecosystems or knowledge gaps that prevent identification. 

Objective 2: Identify best soil health assessment approaches for western agroecosystems.

Milestones

(2022): Agree upon data to compile to allow for multiple means by which group members can “bin” the data for future use. Compile data and metadata from studies of soil health across western US agroecosystems. Begin assessing proposed indicators and lab methods, rating them for suitability in western US agroecosystems.
(2023): Continue compiling data and metadata from studies of soil health across western US agroecosystems.
(2024): Continue compiling recently updated data and metadata from studies of soil health across western US agroecosystems.  Began to pool datasets together from the western US in order to target objectives 1 and 2.

(2025): Data collection was completed.  Some members of the group are working with Caley Gasch to create a publication focused on soil C dynamics in relation to soil health across the western US.  Many other members are working on a Soil Health in the West Book.

Accomplishments:

The W1196 workgroup worked throughout 2025 to discuss/pool/compile soil health data from 5 participant states (AK, WA, CO, UT, HI) and with previously published soil health data.  The group also met on September 18, 2025 to further discuss the pooling of western US soil health data.  We are on track according to milestones outlined by the W1196 workgroup.

Utilizing the W1196 Google sheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UuDGPpZdnnR06VZ_6VzVETJsg565ZG2Nrs2x9AnwTXA/edit#gid=80618355), which houses participants basic (agro)ecosystem information pertinent to site location, responsible member contact information, site characteristics, crops and cropping rotations, and information pertaining to the five principles of soil health promoted by the NRCS (e.g., soil cover, minimize disturbance, diversity, living roots, and livestock integration), Drs. Caley Gasch and her post-doc, Victoria Monsaint-Queeney (both from The University of Alaska – Fairbanks), have collected western US soil health data from key W1196 participants in Alaska, Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii.  They will likely collect additional soil health data from Arizona and Utah based on our December 3^rd group meeting.  Western US soil health data is currently being pooled into the following overarching western US locations: a) cold-wet; b) cold-dry; c) warm-wet; d) warm-dry.  First steps for data synthesis will focus on carbon-based soil health indicators to see how they are similar or different across the western US region as a function of management practices.

Plans for the coming year:  We (Jim Ippolito and Caley Gasch) have asked members if they would like W1196 to continue into the future, as Caley’s work is going in a different direction and Jim no longer lives/works in the western US.  We had two members, Rebecca Lybrand and Debankur Sanyal, willing to take the lead with a project rewrite for 2026.

Publications:

Hu, X., M. Machmuller, S. Blecker, A.G. Firth, C. Buchanan, I. Aksland, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Comparing the Soil Management Assessment Framework to the Haney Soil Health Test across managed agroecosystems. Agronomy. 15:643. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/3/643.

Trimarco, T., R.D. Harmel, E. Wardle, C. Buchanan, A. Brown, E. Deleon, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Connecting the soil health-water quality nexus under surface-irrigated conservation tillage. J. Environ. Qual. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.70013.

Hoffman, O., C. Chorpenning, T. Trimarco, N. Carr, C. Buchanan, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Conservation Reserve Program soils show potential as a soil health benchmark – A Southern Minnesota case study. Soil Systems. 9, 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems9020046.

Umeobi, E., T. Ducey, M.G. Johnson, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Soil health alterations in natural and remediated heavy metal-contaminated mineland soils. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 32:14968-14979. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36602-1.

Malik, H.T., E.K. Bechtold, C. Broeckling, M.J. Wilkins, C. Buchanan, M. Wiltse, J.A. Ippolito, and T. Borch. 2025. Biological and soil indicators of environmental stress in cropping systems irrigated with produced water. Environ. Sci. Technol. Water. DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.5c00351.

Desjardins, M., A.I. Bary, J.A. Ippolito, S.B. Cappellazzi, D. Liptzin, and D. Griffin-Lahue. 2025. Long-term biosolids applications improve key soil health functions in semi-arid dryland systems. Sci. Tot. Environ. 997 (2025):180130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180130.

Trimarco, T., E. Wardle, C. Buchanan, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Conversion from flood to sprinkler irrigation has varying effects on soil health. Agric. Geosci. Environ. 8:e70207. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.70207.

Hu, X., M.K. Rakkar, S.W. Lyon, K.M. Armstrong, D.B. Jackson-Smith, V.R. Haden, N. Lorenz, S.D. Whitacre, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Soil health quantification via SMAF and CASH across diverse land uses and cropping systems. Geoderma. 461:117492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2025.117492.

Hoffman, O, J. Ippolito, and M. Rakkar. 2025. Soil health. OSU Extension Factsheet ANR-0202. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0202.

Hoffman, O, J. Ippolito, and M. Rakkar. 2025. Physical soil health. OSU Extension Factsheet ANR-0203. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0203.

Hoffman, O, J. Ippolito, and M. Rakkar. 2025. Chemical soil health. OSU Extension Factsheet ANR-0204. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0204.

Hoffman, O, J. Ippolito, and M. Rakkar. 2025. Biological soil health. OSU Extension Factsheet ANR-0205. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0205.

Hoffman, O, J. Ippolito, and M. Rakkar. 2025. Soil health testing. OSU Extension Factsheet ANR-0206. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0206.

Hu, X., M.K. Rakkar, S.W. Lyon, K.S. Armstrong, D.B. Jackson-Smith, V.R. Haden, N. Lorenz, S.D. Whitacre, and J.A. Ippolito. 2025. Soil Health Quantification Via SMAF and CASH in Different Agroecosystems in Ohio. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0208.

Davis, H., C. Gasch, M. Borgreen, H. Nenninger, S. DeKeyser. In Press. Above and belowground approaches to restoration in a grassland dominated by Agropyron cristatum. Ecological Restoration, Accepted October 2025.

Christopherson, C.M., C.K. Gasch, D.W. Ross. In Press, Recovery of physical and biological soil properties and vegetation on reclaimed oil well pads in western North Dakota. Natural Areas Journal, Accepted September 2025.

Castleberry, C., J. Harmon, B.J. Darby, S. Banerjee, C.K. Gasch. In Press, Aporrectodea earthworms respond to salt and organic matter levels in captive and free-choice mesocosms. SOIL ORGANISMS, Accepted July 2025.

Palit, R., S. DeKeyser, C. Gasch, E. Kjaer, E.G. Lamb, 2025. Perennial cool-season grass invasion in the Northern Great Plains: The role of plant-soil feedback.  Prairie Naturalist Special Issue 2: 1-18.

Baker, M., M. Yost, G. Cardon, E. Creech, J. Gale, S. Price, M. Pace, R. Wytsalucy, M. Nelson, and C. Zesiger. 2024. Comparison of various fertilizer recommendations for forage crops in the western USA. Crop Science. In Press.

Bourns, M.A., Osmond, D.L., Slaton, N.A., Spargo, J.T., Gatiboni, L., Lacey, C., Sawyer, D., & Yost, M. 2025. Stakeholder engagement with soil testing: Practices and perspectives in U.S. agriculture [Data set]. Ag Data Commons. https://doi.org/10.15482/USDA.ADC/29656808.

Carr, P.M., M.M. Volkman, S.I Fordyce, Crookston, B., M.A. Yost, and J.R. Reeve. 2025. Composted manure legacy impacts on organic wheat in the northern Great Plains. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 105:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2025-0008. Invited.

Stapley, S., C.S. McIntosh, M.A. Yost, N.C. Hansen, R.C. Christense, and B.G. Hopkins. 2025. Stacking and intersecting nitrogen 4Rs on potato: Economic analysis. American Journal of Potato Research. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12230-025-09999-1.

Sharma, S., M. Yost, and J. Reeve. 2025. Roles of organic agriculture for water optimization in arid and semi-arid regions. Sustainability. 17(12), 5452. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125452.

Bourns, M., Slaton, N.A., G. Buol, J.T. Spargo, L. Gatiboni, M.A. Yost, D. Kaiser, D. L. Osmond. 2025. FRST: The fertilizer recommendation support tool relational database and decision interface tool. Agricultural & Environmental Letters. 10(1): e70016. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.70016.

Jones, C.A., Zabinski, C.A., Miller, P.R., D'Agati, K., Tallman, S.M. & Housman, M.L. (2025). Soil health responses to cover crop functional group and richness in semi-arid Montana. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89:e70045. http://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.70045

Zabinski, C., Z. Ashford, C. Jones and K. Olson-Rutz. 2025. Soil Health Gap between Cropland and Uncultivated Soil. The Soil Scoop. https://landresources.montana.edu/soilfertility/soilscoop/ 2 pp.

Beckstrom, T.B., A. Bunnell, T.M. Maaz, M.B. Kantar, J.L. Deenik, C. Tallamy Glazer, P. Sadowski, S.E. Crow. 2025. Mid-infrared Spectroscopy and Machine Learning Improve Accessibility of Hawaiʻi Soil Health Assessment. Soil Science Society of America Journal.

Beckstrom, T.B., T.M. Maaz, J.L. Deenik, H. Peter-Contesse, A. Koch, C. Tallamy Glazer, J. Rivera-Zayas, and S.E. Crow. 2025. From volcanic ash to abundant earth: understanding Andisol organic matter dynamics in relation to soil health on Hawaiʻi Island. Biogeochemistry, 168(2), p.22.