Exploring the Link between Soil and Human Health

How does soil determine our food’s nutrition? How do we establish its benefits? For over 40 years, Rodale Institute has been conducting the world’s longest running side by side farming systems trials to establish the scientific benefits of various farming practices, such as organic and no-till. To further define and quantify the link between soil and human health, Rodale is partnering with other farm and medical research groups throughout the country to look at crop protein production and amino acid uptake in response to soil conditions. Join Rodale Institute Chief Scientific Officer, Andrew Smith, PhD, to learn how we grow our food can improve human health while we mitigate climate change and improve our environment.

This presentation was recorded and can be viewed by clicking on the red Play button in the center of the screen below.

Andrew Smith, Ph.D.
As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Andrew Smith oversees the research and farm operations at Rodale Institute (Kutztown, PA). He is passionate about growing the organic movement by providing science-based solutions to farmers and facilitating opportunities to expand the number of organic farmers and farmland across the globe. His motive for entering the organic industry was to reduce the use of chemicals for food production that end up in our environment, food, and bodies. He has over twenty years of experience working in the organic industry as an agronomist, researcher, and farmer. He graduated from Cornell University where he studied Agronomy and Crop Sciences. Later he earned a Master’s Degree in Entomology, Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management from the University of Maryland and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Drexel University. At Rodale Institute he has the opportunity to support an amazing group of dedicated people working diligently on many projects to transform the food system and the way we farm to improve the lives and health of all people and the planet. He also continues to live and work on his own organic family farm.