Soil Health Champions Network

Established in 2015, the NACD Soil Health Champions Network (SHCN) is a group of over 380 farmers, ranchers, woodland owners, gardeners, and land managers of all kinds who are dedicated to implementing and promoting the soil health principles on their operations and in their communities.

Soil Health Champions lead by example, demonstrating that soil health looks different all across the country, but the guiding principles remain the same. Champions have a working relationship with their local conservation districts and USDA service centers whether through programs, projects or outreach opportunities, and many are recognized as community leaders and early adopters of conservation initiatives.

Head straight to the map of all the Soil Health Champions here!

Do you know a Soil Health Champion?

NACD Soil Health Champion Recruitment Package

Extended Sims family
Shanon--red shirt, white cowboy hat
Mellinda-blonde with purple top
Kagan--gray jersey, ball cap
Jentry--girl with black top with blue lettering
April--Shanon's mom in tourquise top
Scott--Shanon's dad--dark green shirt, white cowbay hat

Shanon Sims (39)
Sims Cattle Company, LLC
1991 CR 1 Unit A
McFadden, Wyoming 82083

Office: 307-378-2473
Cell: 307-360-6787
Email: <span class='encoded'>shanonsims[at]union-tel.com</span>

25,984 acres

645 cow/calf pairs, 300 yearlings, 40 bulls, grass, hay

Married to Melinda; two children, Kagan, 14, Jentry, 11.
father Scott, mother April

NACD Soil Health Champions receive:

Membership in an exclusive Network where they can exchange best management practices, tell success stories, and learn how to make improvements in their own operations. NACD believes this network will play a key role in driving a countrywide movement to improve America’s soils.
A quarterly, soil health bulletin with Network news and relevant conservation research and outreach opportunities.
National recognition for their work to advance soil health in the first eResource of every month and in every edition of The Resource. The association also features soil champs on our website (click on the map below to meet our current Soil Health Champions) and showcases their achievements at NACD meetings and events.

Soil Health Champions have two responsibilities to the Network:

Conduct soil health outreach in their communities. Forms of outreach include holding farm tours, hosting field demonstrations, speaking at conferences and meetings, giving media interviews, presenting at seminars or workshops, and manning educational booths at community events.
Report on their outreach activities to NACD. NACD collects and utilizes Soil Health Champion research, stories and testimonials on NACD’s website and in national publications. NACD also rounds up information on Soil Health Champion events and outreach and shares it through social media, on its website and in a quarterly bulletin. By engaging in this network, NACD is able to amplify the voices of conservation-minded producers on a national platform.

In support of the Network, NACD holds educational conference calls, provides technical and promotional resources, and offers scholarships to Champions to attend topical meetings. NACD also manages an exclusive Facebook group in which members can share pictures, videos, articles and updates on their extraordinary work to improve America’s soils.

SHCN Resources

NACD has curated the following book titles, publishers, and authors into lists to provide additional resources for those interested in learning more about soil health or promoting soil health through reading. These resources are not indicative of NACD policy and are the opinions of their authors unless otherwise noted. If you would like to suggest a book, publisher, or author to be added, please email beth-mason[at]nacdnet.org.

Soil Health Reading
General Audience
Children’s Books
Recommended Authors
Recommended Publishers