5 Reasons Farmers Should Invest in Soil Health
Healthy soil isn’t just the ground beneath your boots; it’s the foundation of your farm’s productivity and profitability. Healthy soil feeds higher yields, efficiently delivers nutrients and water to your plants, protects your farm and crops from all kinds of weather, and needs less inputs, simply because it is already full of the good stuff plants need to thrive. Bottom line: when your soil is thriving, your crops, your land, and your business benefit.
Here are five key reasons why investing in soil health is one of the smartest moves you can make for your operation.
1. Improve yields and crop consistency
Across crops and climates, growers are seeing soil health as a performance strategy, not just a sustainability goal. When biological systems thrive, it reduces risk, optimizes resources, and creates compounding returns season after season.
That’s where microalgae play a major role. These tiny organisms naturally live in all kinds of soil. They feed biology, help roots better absorb nutrients, and improve how your land holds water. When microalgae are active and abundant, your crops become stronger, plants experience less stress, and farm performance increases season after season.
Here are some eye-popping numbers from MyLand’s clients:
- 5x ROI on Washington apple farms
- 3.7x ROI on Washington potato farms
- 1.3x ROI on California almond farms in their first season
“I’ve seen a lot of solutions over the years,” said Joe Coelho, a fourth-generation pistachio and almond grower and MyLand customer. “But some of the changes I’ve seen with MyLand are very shocking—in a good way. It’s the first time in my career I’ve seen something move this fast.”
↗️ See ROI data from farms like yours.
2. Improve water use efficiency
If your soil can’t hold water or your crops constantly need more of it, something is off.
Healthy soil acts like a sponge and typically needs far less irrigation. This is thanks to good soil structure and organic matter. These two soil elements make more moisture available for your crops during dry spells and ensure less water and nutrients wash away when it rains. Building soil health improves both drought tolerance and water-use efficiency, saving you time and money on irrigation. In water-scarce regions, this is especially supportive, particularly as water access shifts.
Arizona chili pepper grower Ed Curry is seeing this play out on his nearly 2,200-acre pepper operation. Since introducing live, native microalgae through MyLand’s Service, his soil is holding moisture longer and using irrigation more efficiently.
“I think we’re going to be able save 8 to 10% year in, year out. In an underground water system like we’ve got, that’s huge,” said Ed.
3. Cut input costs over time
A living, active soil does a lot of work on its own. Beneficial microbes free up nutrients that are already in your fields, while reducing your dependence on inputs. Healthy soil can also protect plants against an array of diseases and pests. Investing in soil today can lead to lower costs tomorrow.
Joe Coelho said, “thanks to MyLand, I’ve replaced more than $450 worth of inputs, plus cut nitrogen 30% and saw the exact same performance.”
↗️ Read more about Joe’s incredible success using the MyLand Service.
4. Reduce erosion and protect your topsoil
Wind and water erosion steal topsoil, which is your most productive layer of soil. This layer is full of the nutrients and organic matter your crops depend on to grow adequate yields. The loss of this layer directly impacts soil fertility and productivity.
Improving your soil structure and increasing organic matter helps keep topsoil in place even under tough weather, which protects your land and prevents costly losses.
5. Protect and build long-term land value
Your land is your legacy. Taking care of your soil is one of the best ways to protect that investment. Balanced and biologically active soil makes your ground more valuable over the long term. Farms with healthy soil are more resilient, more profitable, and able to withstand the elements for generations.
Whether you plan to pass it on, lease it out, or sell it someday, healthy soil keeps your land productivity strong for generations.
🌾 The bottom line
Healthy soil pays back every season. Investing in soil health improves yields, cuts costs, builds resilience, and protects your most valuable asset: your land.
Healthy soil takes time to build, but the payoff lasts for years. The earlier growers begin to invest in their soil, the sooner their soil starts working for them and their fields. Every decision to nurture soil health is an investment in long-term farm success.
As a bonus, healthy soil naturally supports the environment. As agriculture continues to move toward regenerative and climate-smart practices, improving soil health positions you to stay ahead of new programs, opportunities, and consumer preferences. Every investment you make in your soil compounds over time. And when the soil thrives, your whole farm follows.
↗️ Ready for healthier soil on your farm? Reach out to our team to get started.