Each day, more people are learning about how important healthy soil is to our world. Through articles, documentary films, and scholarly papers, the word is spreading. The vast majority of people now understand that we are facing a climate crisis that is impacting the entire planet. The health and wellbeing of our soil is one very important part of the change that needs to take place if we are to save ourselves and the future of all life on Earth.
Environmental Impact
Soil is one of the Earth’s most important natural resources. Our lives are connected to soil. It provides our food and the fibers we wear; cleanses our air; and purifies the water we drink. Soil is without a doubt one of the major determinants of human health too. It serves a critical function in protecting environmental health, and soil health is a key determinant of growing healthier plants. There is expanding research that highlights the role that healthy soil can play in capturing greenhouse gases that otherwise can have implications for local and global climate change. Imagine being able to grow healthy foods while helping to protect the environment – it starts with healthy soil.
Our Story
SoilHealth.ca specializes in providing soil health testing services for Canadians. We use scientific methods that adhere to testing conventions endorsed by the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) and we ensure that all methodologies used are updated in accordance with advances in soil science to maximize testing accuracy and repeatability. We use state-of-the-art equipment that is calibrated for traceability and compared against blanks and standards to ensure accuracy and precision.
The health of our environment is truly important to us and we consider ourselves to be environmental stewards. We’ve dedicated a lot of time to finding ways to reduce waste and limit the water and resources we use for testing. Our “greener outlook” is evident in everything from our fully recyclable or compostable paper packaging and our choice of working with suppliers and vendors that are also dedicated to resource conservancy and limiting their environmental footprint. Even our website was designed to consume less energy.
We operate in accordance with Good Laboratory Practices established by the OECD and provide recommendations adherent to current OMAFRA standards.
Our Founder
John Kenneth Filice is passionate about all things soil. While other kids played in the sandbox, John preferred digging in soil. John has a Master’s degree from the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at McMaster University. He’s an ‘ab-soil-utely’ unique character with interests ranging from rock watching to urban regenerative farming, to writing about the interplay between human health and soil health. He spends more time in the laboratory these days monitoring tests than getting soil under his fingernails tending to plants. It’s no wonder John returned to his roots and is working to help the environment by helping people to improve their soil health.
The Science Behind SoilHealth.ca
SoilHealth.ca uses scientific methods that adhere to testing conventions endorsed by the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS). We ensure that all methodologies used are updated in accordance with advances in soil science to maximize testing accuracy and repeatability. We use state-of-the-art equipment that is calibrated for traceability and compared against blanks and standards to ensure accuracy and precision.
We operate in accordance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) established by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) and also reference methods described by the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and International Organization for Standards (ISO).
We participate in the North American Proficiency Testing (NAPT) Program and accreditation with the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation Inc (CALA) and we provide recommendations adherent to current standards set by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Land Acknowledgement Statement
We acknowledge that this land we call home is covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy, the Ojibway and other allied Nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes.
The lesson of the Covenant is clear but often overlooked. Just as those sharing a peaceful meal together from a single bowl, with a single spoon, must show compassion and generosity by taking only what is needed and passing the rest forward for others to enjoy; we too must nurture the gifts of our land and sustain it for generations that call this land home.
With all of this being front-of-mind, we humbly acknowledge that we are not the first ones to call this spectacular land home; we are able to harvest gifts from fertile lands that were not sullied by those who came before us; and we believe it is our responsibility as guests upon this sacred land that we sustain it sustain it for those who will follow after us.
Connect with us
Do you have a specific question about soil testing? Get in touch with SoilHealth.ca.
We are happy to answer any of your questions.