About Soils for Life > Our Purpose

OUR STORY

Soils for Life is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that works across Australia. Our work is possible thanks to the generosity of donors and grant-makers and the commitment of our farming champions.

Soils for Life was founded in 2013 by former Governor General Major General the Honorable Michael Jeffery, Australia’s first National Soils Advocate. As a highly respected public figure, with a passion for agriculture and ability to connect with Australians from all walks of life, Major General Jeffery put soil firmly on the national agenda.

For almost a decade, Soils for Life has worked tirelessly to uncover and promote the stories of farmer innovators across the country. We are now moving into a new phase, working to support and enable the next cohort of soil stewards to regenerate Australia’s soils and landscapes.

Read the case studies

OUR VISION

We want a future of healthy landscapes, nutritious food and resilient communities.

Healthy, regenerated soils and landscapes not only support a healthy environment and climate, it also provides us with nutritious and abundant food. Through regenerative practices, farmers are seeing productive and profitable food and fibre systems. A focus on holistic thinking and farmer-to-farmer learning is seeing a strengthening of resilient and connected communities.

OUR MISSION

To support Australian farmers in regenerating soil and landscapes, to build natural and social capital, and transform food and fibre systems.

The challenge

Soil is one of the earth’s most important natural resources and is essential for healthy plant growth, food production and ecosystem services such as clean, plentiful water and air.

Our soils help regulate the earth’s climate and they store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, making soil regeneration a key plank in efforts to combat climate change and increasing extremes of weather.

Yet Australian soils are degraded and are continuing to degrade through erosion and loss of soil function. This threatens not just farm productivity and profitability, but also our nation’s food security, access to water and ecological health.

Our solution

We support a growing movement of farmers and rural leaders dedicated to farming in ways that improve soil and bring life back to the land.

Soils For Life’s farmers are changing the world. And together we’re helping Australia meet global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and food scarcity. We’re also supporting the national objective to grow Australian agriculture into a $100 billion industry by 2030.

Read our strategic plan

Support the work of Soils For Life

Soils for Life is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that works across Australia. Our work is possible thanks to the generosity of donors and grant-makers and the commitment of our farming champions. Gifts made to Soils for Life are tax deductible.

Support our work