Towards a Standardized Protocol and Policy for Acceptance of Innovative Soil Testing

The demands on global agriculture to support human and animal life while minimizing the environmental impacts of excess nutrient runoff makes the refinement of nutrient management protocols of paramount importance. A key factor in such protocols is developing and adopting effective and accurate soil testing methods. As new soil testing technologies emerge it becomes challenging for local and national agencies to determine whether to incorporate these technologies into their existing procedures for assessing soil quality.We describe a proposed new standards project for developing a comprehensive protocol and policy proposal to be used in validating innovative soil testing methodologies. We emphasize the importance of using an open consensus-based standards development process, sponsored by the The Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society and overseen by the (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) IEEE Standards Association. By emphasizing the need for collaboration, transparency, and adherence to state-approved methodologies we are creating an optimal pathway for its acceptance by users and state regulatory bodies and an overall acceptance on an international level.