By Shannon MacDonald
Happy one-year “SHRECiversary” to the Soil Health Research and Extension Center (SHREC)! Established in 2025, SHREC was created to meet the needs of farmers by offering soil health testing tailored specifically to farmers.
In its first year, the lab processed 719 soil samples from producers across New England.
SHREC is building a robust repository of soil health data to better understand and protect agricultural soils. The UVM Extension NWCS team has supported this effort by collecting hundreds of samples statewide from farms with a range of crops and soil management practices.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) highlights four key principles of soil health:
- Minimize disturbance
- Maximize biodiversity
- Maximize soil cover
- Maximize living roots
SHREC helps farmers put these principles into practice by providing soil health testing, guidance, and recommendations.
The lab currently offers five soil health tests:
- Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC)
- ACE Protein
- Total Carbon and Nitrogen
- Wet Aggregate Stability
- Soil Respiration
Phospholipid Fatty Acid (PLFA) analysis coming soon! SHREC is also now equipped to process USDA-NRCS CEMA 216 soil health samples.
Source : uvm.edu