[chflamplighter]

Although erosion is a problem driving an overall loss of naturally occurring plant available nutrition, most growers mitigate this loss with the addition of nutrient rich materials (chemical fertilizers, Poultry Litter, Organic Material, nutrient packages, etc). With these additions growers can ensure a nutritious enough soil for production. The real issue is the loss of the ecology found within that soil through erosion and chemical intensive production practices. If you think about it, soil is basically a plants stomach. It is constantly cycling nutrition to and from a plant accessible form mainly through microbial mediation. Just like your digestive system, soils contain critical populations of Beneficial Microorganisms which are a requirement for crop production. As an additional tool along with Nutrient inputs, growers are introducing Beneficial Microorganisms into their production programs. As a result Growers see a more balanced level of plant accessible nutrition and a more efficient utilization of those Nutrient inputs thus driving an overall increase in the ecological fitness and production of their crops. I personally think we should place the highest value on soil, water --- heck all of our Natural Resources but it is an interesting time as we pick up the pieces left by our agricultural production systems looking towards an ever increasing population.

(disclaimer: I am not a grower but the current iteration of my career is working for a Biotech which has developed teams of Beneficial Microbes for Agricultural and Environmental Applications).