Soil Health Benchmarking
In Nebraska

The Nebraska Soil Health Coalition (NSHC), in partnership with Dr. Bijesh Maharjan of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is building a science-based foundation for understanding and improving resilience of Nebraska's soils. In this soil health benchmarking project, a variety of cropland soils are compared against undisturbed native sites (reference sites). The Soil Health Gap (reference-cropland comparison) provides a true measure of how management practices are shaping soil functions and ecosystem services and sets an ecologically probable soil health target. The first round of soil health benchmarking sampling was conducted in August 2025 in NSHC Hub 1, which was launched in south-central Nebraska - the first of five planned regional hubs statewide.

Soil taken from a reference site in Fillmore County, Nebraska.

“I chose to go down the regenerative ag path to take control of the future of our family ranch — not only to become more economically resilient, but to create a system that holds up against weather extremes, market extremes, and input extremes. I cannot reach any of those goals if I do not put soil health first above everything else.”

— Kipp Hinrichs, Glenvil, Clay County, Nebraska, began transitioning his conventional farmland to regenerative cover crops and forage for livestock in 2020.

Hub 1

In August 2025 and April 2026, the team measured a comprehensive suite of soil health indicators at seven cropland-reference sites in Hub 1: South-Central Nebraska

PHYSICAL

Bulk Density
Compaction & pore space

Aggregate Stability
Erosion resistance and Infiltration

CHEMICAL

Organic Matter
Long-term fertility

Organic Carbon
Stored carbon & water retention

BIOLOGICAL

Soil Respiration
Active microbial life

Microbial Biomass
Living soil workforce

Enzyme Activities
Nutrient cycling

Key Findings

At 5 of 7 sites, native reference sites outperformed corresponding croplands ꟷ even fields already using no-till, cover crops, and intercropping demonstrating that there is meaningful room for improvement for every producer. For sites 6 & 7, the gap was minimal or none where there were long-term soil health practices or the cropland was healthier, signified that carefully planned and sustained soil health practices can narrow or fill the soil health gap and preserve soil resources for generations to come.

Hub 2 Initiation

Efforts will expand in Hub 1 and carry over into Hub 2 (South-West Nebraska) offering more regenerative and conventional farmland with adjacent reference site comparison opportunities. Continued efforts will allow reference comparison to multiple cropland sites representing a range of farming strategies to create an expansive soil health analogy.

This growing dataset will feed a comprehensive report and farmer-ready extension materials from the UNL/NSHC team.

Soil samples taken from a cropland in Clay County (top) and a reference site in Hall County (bottom) for soil health assessment.

The Statewide Vision

Hub 1 is the first of five planned regional hubs across Nebraska. Together, they will form a statewide soil health monitoring network providing:

  • Science-based tools to track soil health progress

  • Farmer-to-farmer learning communities

  • Economic resilience analysis per operation

  • Guidance for long-term land stewardship

  • Policy tools for agencies and conservation partners

Enroll in an NSHC Hub effort in your area!

Email: info@nesoilhealth.org

“My goal is to leave the land to whoever follows me in a state of perpetual recovery — meaning it keeps getting better every year. Most of us are tired of just talking about it. We want to do something about it.”

— Kipp Hinrichs, Glenvil, Clay County, Nebraska

— Kipp Hinrichs, Glenvil, Clay County, Nebraska

Nebraska Soil Health Coalition • nesoilhealth.org • info@nesoilhealth.org

Non-profit est. 2023 | Advancing soil health across Nebraska farms, ranches & communities

Maharjan Soils Lab • www.maharjanlab.com • bmaharjan@unl.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

What is soil health benchmarking?

  • Soil health benchmarking is the process where your cropland soil health is compared against nearby undisturbed native sites (reference sites). Soil health measurement, just like any measurement, becomes meaningful only when interpreted against appropriate benchmarks.

How is it done?

  • We will find native sites corresponding to your cropland and collect soil samples from native and cropland sites.

How is it different from the soil tests I am already doing?

  • There are scores of soil health indicators one can measure. We provide soil health indicators known to be significant based on UNL research.

  • In addition to your cropland data, we share benchmark soil health indicators (from reference site) for your farmland.

What do we learn from it?

  • Such benchmarking simultaneously informs you where your soil stands today compared to native reference (soil health gap) and provides the ecologically potential soil health goals for you.

Please explain the soil health benchmarking process.

  • Paired site selection: Soil is collected from both cropland and reference sites within the same agroecological region and soil type, which allows differences in soil health indicators to be confidently attributed to management practices rather than to background variation.

  • Soil sampling: The UNL team will collect soil samples at 0-8 inches using a handheld probe that causes minimal disturbance to land.

  • Soil health assessment: Key soil health indicators such as bulk density, aggregate stability, soil organic matter, soil organic carbon, nutrient cycling, microbial activity will be measured.

  • Long-term monitoring: Sites are revisited over time so that one can see how management decisions — such as adopting cover crops, reducing tillage, or optimizing nutrient management — translate into measurable improvements.

What benefits do I get for enrolling?

  • Producer-to-producer learning: Connect with a peer community of Nebraska farmers sharing experiences, management insights, and partnership on the soil health journey.

  • Economic risk analysis: Receive ROI projections and economic guidance specific to your operation and region, lowering the risk of making management changes.

  • Incentive navigation: NSHC helps you sort through the wide range of available funding programs and identify those most relevant to your specific context.

  • Broader community connection: Engage with a NSHC Stakeholder Visioning Group including lenders, water providers, conservation groups, health care, agribusiness, and educators.

  • Financial support/Incentives: The Coalition is providing several types of support on your soil health journey toward building this powerful community.

How do I get enrolled and involved with NSHC?

There are several ways to connect with the NSHC and begin your soil health journey:

  • Join as a member

  • Participate in a Hub: if you farm in south-central or southwest Nebraska, you can join the Producer Learning Community in Hub 1 or Hub 2.

  • Attend events: the NSHC regularly hosts producer learning days, field events, and educational sessions across the state.

  • Donate to help expand hubs in your region:

For additional information