Soil Quality is defined as how well soil does what we want it to do. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive rangeland, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes. Included in these pages are a glossary, and information about soil organic matter and soil biology. Soil quality assessment is the process of measuring the management induced changes in soil as we attempt to get soil to do what we want it to do. The ultimate purpose of assessing soil quality is to provide the information necessary to protect and improve longterm agricultural productivity, water quality, and habitats of all organisms including people. These pages provide guidelines for soil quality assessment, information on building a soil quality test kit and developing a soil quality thunderbook and soil quality cards.

Address: 2901 East Lee Street, Suite 2100, Greensboro, NC 27401
Telephone: 336-370-3337
Fax: 336-370-3377
Website: http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/