Soil Economics: How the Ground Beneath Our Feet Mirrors Our Economy
MEDIA CONTACT:
Keith Berns, Founding Member of the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition
Email: keith@greencover.com
Did you know that the principles of economics don’t just apply to nations or businesses? They’re also at work beneath our feet—in the soil! Just like in our everyday lives, the “economy” of soil is all about interactions, transactions, and relationships, driven by the big three players: soil, plants, and soil biology.
Let’s break it down:
Supply and Demand in the Soil Economy
Just as supply and demand shape markets, they also drive the soil ecosystem. Plants are the powerhouses of this system, producing carbon compounds and oxygen through photosynthesis. In return, the soil provides mineral nutrients, a habitat for roots and soil organisms, and water storage. Meanwhile, the biology in the soil (think microbes, fungi, and other critters) steps in to supply nutrients and protect plants.
But here’s the catch: when we farm in ways that ignore or disrupt soil biology, the system gets out of balance. Without these unseen workers, plants can suffer from stress and disease. And guess who has to step in? Us—with a kind of “welfare system” that relies on heavy applications of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs to make up for what the natural system would have provided for free.
Carbon: The Currency of the Soil
Just like money makes our economy go round, carbon is the “cash” of the soil economy. Plants produce carbon through photosynthesis, then “spend” it by releasing it through their roots (known as root exudates) in exchange for the nutrients and services provided by soil biology.
Carbon is the ideal currency because it can be:
Earned (via photosynthesis),
Spent (as root exudates),
Stored (in soil organic matter), and
Desired by all players.
Want to increase the flow of carbon currency? Cover crops are a game-changer. They help plants keep the system running by extending the time carbon is collected and exchanged, improving soil health and boosting productivity.
Building Capital for Long-Term Stability
In economics, capital is stored wealth that drives growth. In the soil, organic matter is the capital. It’s a critical indicator of soil health and provides long-term stability for the system. But just like any savings account, you can’t build capital if you’re spending more than you’re saving. To increase soil organic matter, you need more carbon coming in than leaving.
Cover crops play a huge role here. They grow longer, capture more carbon, and reduce the carbon “leaving” the system through harvest or erosion. Over time, this builds a strong foundation for healthy, productive soil.
Energy and Resources: The Power Behind the System
Every economy needs energy and resources, and the soil economy is no exception. The energy here comes from the sun, and farmers are essentially soil investors planting “solar collectors” in the form of crops.
When it comes to resources, nitrogen is one of the most important—and costly. American agriculture spends $5 billion annually on nitrogen fertilizers. But here’s a fun fact: the air above every acre of land holds 30,000 tons of free nitrogen! The trick is accessing it, which requires the right soil biology to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-available form.
Beyond nitrogen, many essential nutrients are already in the soil, waiting to be unlocked by biology. Promoting soil health is like hiring an invisible workforce to mine, transport, and deliver these resources—efficiently and sustainably.
Infrastructure: The Soil’s Superhighway
Every economy relies on infrastructure like transportation and communication, and the soil is no different. Mycorrhizal fungi, earthworms, and other soil organisms are the transportation engineers of the soil world, moving nutrients and water where they’re needed. Even communication happens underground! Soil microorganisms interact through a complex web of signals in the rhizosphere (the area around plant roots), ensuring everyone in the system knows their role.
The soil economy is an incredible, self-sustaining system—when we let it work the way nature intended. By promoting healthy soil biology and supporting practices like cover cropping and reduced chemical inputs, we’re not just improving our land; we’re building a thriving economy underground. And just like in any economy, when the system is strong, everyone benefits.
For more information, visit www.greencover.com or search “Carbonomics” on YouTube.
Let’s invest in the soil—and let it pay us back, one carbon “coin” at a time.
About Nebraska Soil Health Coalition
The Nebraska Soil Health Coalition is a collaborative effort to increase sustainable agricultural production and thriving rural communities. As part of that vision, we support Nebraska’s community newspapers. Our mission is to advance producer-centered education, outreach, and adoption of soil health principles to build resilient farms, ranches, and communities across Nebraska. You can learn more at www.nesoilhealth.org
