A resolution from December 2013, the General Assembly of the United Nations stated in part:
"Recognizing the economic and social significance of good land management, including soil, particularly its contribution to economic growth, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and food security, eradicating poverty, women’s empowerment, addressing climate change and improving water availability, and stressing that desertification, land degradation and drought are challenges of a global dimension and that they continue to pose serious challenges to the sustainable development of all countries, in particular developing countries,
Recognizing also the urgent need, at all levels, to raise awareness and to promote sustainability of the limited soil resources, using the best available scientific information and building on all dimensions of sustainable development,
Decides to designate 5 December as World Soil Day and to declare 2015 the International Year of Soils."
What does all this have to do with me? I created the cover of the 2015 Halifax County Exhibition Official Program, celebrating the theme "Sow It, Grow It, Show It. Bringing Focus to 2015 International Year of Soils". I'm proud to be part of this exhibition of agriculture here in our community, and I really hope people do take a moment to think about soil health. Visit the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at http://www.fao.org/soils-2015/en/ to learn more.
