SoilValues

𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 Through a series of interviews we are exploring transformative changes and inclusive business models for soil health, gathering insights from researchers, practitioners, and innovators across Europe. Our goal? To understand the many ways soil creates value and how we can support those who care for it. 🌍 We are delighted to kick off the series with our coordinator Erik Mathijs, who introduces the SoilValues project and presents our first policy brief: Towards Inclusive Business Models for Soil Health: Six Perspectives on Values. The policy brief proposes a framework that builds on the Total Economic Value approach and identifies six complementary perspectives: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐭 – soil as productive capital, improving yields and reducing costs 2️⃣ 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 – soil as a provider of public goods such as carbon storage and water regulation 3️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – soil as insurance against environmental and economic shocks 4️⃣ 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – protecting soil for future generations and societal well-being 5️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – recognizing soil’s inherent worth beyond human utility 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – soil health as a driver of inclusive governance, equity, and innovation ▶️ 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: lnkd.in/eXan4tTK Read the policy brief here: lnkd.in/ezstNJJ4 #soilvalues #soilhealth #euprojects #sustainability #businessmodels #MissionSoilWeek #agriculture

📣 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 In this episode of the SoilValues Interview Series, we share a set of conversations with partners from InBestSoil, our sister project, exploring how soil health can be supported through business models, Living Labs, and enabling policy frameworks. We spoke with Andrés Rodriguez-Seijo, coordinator of InBestSoil, about the real costs of establishing soil health business models and the importance of sharing risks and investments among farmers, local public actors, and other stakeholders. He also reflects on the need to better recognise the many ecosystem services provided by healthy soils that often remain invisible in economic terms. Virginia Sánchez Navarro, coordinator of Lighthouse 2, takes us to a former uranium mining area where soils face multiple risks: pollution, metallic contamination, hyper-acidification, and low nutrient levels. She explains how phytostabilisation approaches — combining metal-tolerant plants with organic and inorganic amendments — are being tested to reduce contamination and restore soil functions. We also hear from Austra Zuševica, coordinator of Lighthouse 6, who shares experience from a gravel mining site affected by erosion and flooding, where restoration efforts focus on fertilisation and tree planting as first steps towards rebuilding soil structure. Finally, Chiara De Notaris reflects on what the upcoming Soil Monitoring Law could mean for farmers in practice and which policy choices could help accelerate private investment in soil health. She also highlights the importance of policy coherence and of combining practice-based payments with outcome-based rewards to better balance farmers’ risks. 👉 Watch the full interviews and follow the SoilValues series for more expert perspectives on soil health, innovation, and policy: youtu.be/BLJ2so7Vei0 #SoilValues #InBestSoil #SoilHealth #LivingLabs #Sustainability #EUProjects

📣 SoilValues Interview Series – Rethinking Farming Models for Healthier Soils In the second part of our conversation with Perrine BULGHERONI (ex HERVE-GRUYER), Mission Soil Ambassador, we focus more closely on her experience as an agroecology practitioner and on how new generations of farmers are reshaping the way farming is understood and organised. Perrine reflects on the growing number of farmers who do not come from a traditional agricultural background and on the need to experiment with new farming models. She describes a shift from a conventional, individual-based vision of farming towards more cooperative and land-sharing systems, where several producers work together on the same field. She is accompanying this approach with research across multiple dimensions — legal, accounting, farming, and agronomic — with the aim of developing a replicable hashtag#businessmodel that can adapt to local contexts. The conversation also addresses some of the main barriers to adopting sustainable soil practices and the need to rebalance the system so that farmers can regain a fairer share of the value that is often lost along the chain before food reaches consumers. 👉 Watch Part 2 of the interview to explore how innovative farming models, cooperation, and systemic change can support healthier soils and fairer agri-food systems: lnkd.in/ejZJy8nX #SoilValues #MissionSoil #SoilHealth #Agroecology #SustainableFarming #FoodSystems #EUProjects

📩 The SoilValues 5th Newsletter is out! The fifth edition of the SoilValues newsletter marks an important moment in the project’s trajectory, as we enter its final year and accelerate our work on soil health and sustainable value-based business models. In this edition you will find: 🔹 Field-level insights from Communities of Practice and Testing Grounds 🔹 Key takeaways from recent European events and policy-oriented discussions 🔹 Recent publications and interviews exploring incentives, governance, and socio-economic conditions for soil health transitions 🔹 Forthcoming events, including the Forum for the Future of Agriculture and the SoilValues Final Conference in Brussels 👉 Access the newsletter here: mailchi.mp/56808cf3129e/s… #SoilValues #SoilHealth #MissionSoil #HorizonEurope

📣 SoilValues Interview Series - What Enables the Transition to Healthier Soils? In the latest episode of our SoilValues Interview Series, we spoke with Perrine Bulgheroni, Mission Soil Ambassador, about what truly enables the transition towards healthier soils — and how the risks and costs of this transition should be shared. Perrine highlights the crucial role of farmer training and capacity building, stressing that knowledge generated at institutional and research levels must effectively reach those working on the ground. She also underlines the need for governance transformation, as current frameworks often fail to fully support long-term soil health practices. Another key insight from this conversation is the importance of fair risk- and cost-sharing. When new soil-friendly business models are introduced, the burden should not fall solely on farmers. Instead, risks and costs should be shared across the entire society that benefits — including consumers and public institutions. 👉 Watch the full interview to discover why systemic change, inclusive governance, and shared responsibility are essential to make soil health transitions truly sustainable: youtu.be/zr7vU_iGFE0 #SoilValues #MissionSoil #SoilHealth #Sustainability #AgriFoodSystems #EUProjects

📣 SoilValues Interview Series – Rethinking Farming Models for Healthier Soils In the second part of our conversation with Perrine Bulgheroni, Mission Soil Ambassador, we focus more closely on her experience as an agroecology practitioner and on how new generations of farmers are reshaping the way farming is understood and organised. Perrine reflects on the growing number of farmers who do not come from a traditional agricultural background and on the need to experiment with new farming models. She describes a shift from a conventional, individual-based vision of farming towards more cooperative and land-sharing systems, where several producers work together on the same field. She is accompanying this approach with research across multiple dimensions — legal, accounting, farming, and agronomic — with the aim of developing a replicable business model that can adapt to local contexts. The conversation also addresses some of the main barriers to adopting sustainable soil practices and the need to rebalance the system so that farmers can regain a fairer share of the value that is often lost along the chain before food reaches consumers. 👉 Watch Part 2 of the interview to explore how innovative farming models, cooperation, and systemic change can support healthier soils and fairer agri-food systems: youtu.be/ghIiYY8PhQQ #SoilValues #MissionSoil #SoilHealth #Agroecology #SustainableFarming #FoodSystems #EUProjects

From Governance to Practice: Business Models and Carbon Farming for Soil Health In the first part of the interview, we reflected on the importance of a systemic approach to soil governance. In this second conversation, Tristano Bacchetti De Gregoris brings the discussion into practice, drawing on his experience in EU-funded projects. The interview explores the methodological approach developed within GOV4ALL, with particular attention to how business models can support sustainable soil management and create the conditions for long-term engagement by land managers. Tristano also shares his perspective on carbon farming, drawing on insights from Project Credible and discusses its potential to connect environmental ambition with economic feasibility during the transition towards more sustainable soil health practices. 🎥 Watch the full interview and follow our series as we continue bringing expert insights on soil health and sustainability. lnkd.in/eRMvnHZb #SoilValues #EUProjects #Farmers #SoilHealth #Sustainability

𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 Through a series of interviews we are exploring transformative changes and inclusive business models for soil health, gathering insights from researchers, practitioners, and innovators across Europe. Our goal? To understand the many ways soil creates value and how we can support those who care for it. 🌍 To mark hashtag#WorldSoilDay, we are delighted to kick off the series with our coordinator Erik Mathijs, who introduces the hashtag#SoilValues project and presents our first policy brief: Towards Inclusive Business Models for Soil Health: Six Perspectives on Values. The policy brief proposes a framework that builds on the Total Economic Value approach and identifies six complementary perspectives: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐭 – soil as productive capital, improving yields and reducing costs 2️⃣ 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 – soil as a provider of public goods such as carbon storage and water regulation 3️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – soil as insurance against environmental and economic shocks 4️⃣ 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – protecting soil for future generations and societal well-being 5️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – recognizing soil’s inherent worth beyond human utility 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – soil health as a driver of inclusive governance, equity, and innovation ▶️ 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: lnkd.in/eXan4tTK Read the policy brief here: lnkd.in/ezstNJJ4 #soilvalues #soilhealth #euprojects #sustainability #businessmodels #worldsoilday #MissionSoilWeek #agriculture

🌱 How do farmers translate soil-health knowledge into real, practical change on the ground? In our new SoilValues field story from Poland, our project partner Adrianna Wojciechowska from IRWIR PAN meets with local farmers who are testing improved soil-management practices testing improved soil-management practices, including no-tillage, manure application, cover crops, and smarter crop rotations. Their experience shows how small adjustments in field operations can make a meaningful difference for soil structure, biodiversity, and long-term productivity. 🎥 Watch the video to discover the farmers’ insights, the challenges they face, and what motivates them to innovate for healthier soils. 👉 youtu.be/_ExAjqP8Yqk #SoilValues #SoilHealth #HorizonEurope #SustainableAgriculture #SoilBiodiversity #FarmingInnovation #EUProjects

🌱 Communities of Practice (CoPs) are at the heart of SoilValues’ approach to innovating soil health. A CoP brings together farmers, researchers, businesses, and policymakers in a region to share knowledge and co-create solutions for sustainable land management. In Belgium, the CoP is focusing on a regional composting initiative in the northern part of the country. The goal is to create an economically and ecologically sound alternative fertilisation strategy — supporting farmers, enhancing soil fertility, and contributing to a more sustainable agricultural transition. 🎥 Watch our new video to learn more about the Belgian CoP and hear directly from the farmers and experts involved in this collaborative effort to strengthen soil health: 🔗 youtu.be/ckKRFqXDmnc #SoilValues #SoilHealth #SustainableAgriculture #CommunityOfPractice #EUProjects #HorizonEurope #RegenerativeFarming

🌱 𝐖𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐡𝐮𝐬! The European Mission Soil Week 2025 has come to an end — a vibrant exchange of ideas and collaborations to advance soil health across Europe. SoilValues contributed to the breakout session “Leveraging soil health for successful agricultural business models,” where Gerald Schwarz presented the project’s work and ideas about economically viable business models for soil health. 🎥 We also recorded a series of short interviews with leading experts on soil health and sustainable business models — capturing diverse perspectives on how to accelerate the EU transition towards healthier soils. Stay tuned for the upcoming video series! A big thank you to all our partners who joined us in Aarhus and helped share the SoilValues vision — turning knowledge into action for healthier soils. #SoilValues #MissionSoilWeek #SoilHealth #EUprojects #HorizonEurope #SustainableAgriculture #BusinessModels

Healthy soils generate value in many different ways: they sustain food production, store carbon, support biodiversity, strengthen resilience to shocks, carry cultural meaning, and foster community well-being. But because these benefits are so diverse — and spread across many actors — no single policy instrument can capture them all. Our new policy brief — “𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞” — proposes a framework that builds on the 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 approach and identifies six complementary perspectives: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐭 – soil as productive capital, improving yields and reducing costs 2️⃣ 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 – soil as a provider of public goods such as carbon storage and water regulation 3️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – soil as insurance against environmental and economic shocks 4️⃣ 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – protecting soil for future generations and societal well-being 5️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 – recognizing soil’s inherent worth beyond human utility 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 – soil health as a driver of inclusive governance, equity, and innovation The message is clear: a 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐱 is essential. Market-based schemes can work for some values, but legal protections, cultural investments, and community-led initiatives are equally important. Only by aligning these diverse perspectives can we design fair and effective incentives for soil stewardship that last. 👉 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: bit.ly/3Vpwgic 📚 Discover all our publications! bit.ly/3VTYfqu #SoilValues #SoilHealth #Policy #Sustainability #EUProjects

Yesterday, Youssef Wang-Touri (Wageningen University & Research) gave a seminar hosted by KU Leuven, presenting his latest paper: “Synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services, soil health, and farm income: Conceptual framework and case studies showcase.” 🌱 In this engaging session, Youssef introduced the conceptual framework from his first article, which examines how changes in ecosystem services (ESs) supply can simultaneously impact soil health and farm income through farm management decisions. He explored key synergies and trade-offs and raised the critical question: How can we support farmers’ decision-making to alter or enhance ESs supply while integrating soil health and farm income into their choices? 💡 Beyond presenting results, the seminar was a valuable opportunity to gather feedback for his second paper—currently in progress—which focuses on co-designing sustainable farm business models. The discussion helped refine the participatory approach and deepen understanding of how farmers evaluate alternative strategies. 📚 This Seminar was part of the SoilValues' ongoing commitment to bridging research and practice in soil health and ecosystem services. Many thanks to Youssef Wang-Touri for sharing his work and to the KU Leuven partners for hosting an engaging and insightful seminar! Read the full paper here: soilvalues.eu/scientific-pap… #SoilValues #EcosystemServices #SoilHealth #SustainableAgriculture #CircularEconomy #HorizonEurope #RegenerativeAgriculture

At EAAE congress 2025, SoilValues presented the poster: “𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬” 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐬 are essential for agriculture and society, yet many soils risk losing their crucial functions because maintaining soil health often involves upfront costs with delayed benefits. 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 (𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐌𝐬) aim to address this challenge by making soil-friendly practices economically viable. Developed in 𝐜𝐨-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 with diverse actors, SHBMs embody key aspects of social innovation — changing norms, institutions, and relationships to support sustainable futures. The research aimed to uncover the 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, and 𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 that shape SHBM development through a transdisciplinary case in the Flensburg region (Northern Germany), where we co-created a SHBM focused on 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 The findings show that barriers, incentives, and enabling conditions are 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭-𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭. Incentives need to be carefully combined and adapted to 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. Crucially, the transformation of relationships and institutions emerged as a cornerstone for creating SHBMs as genuine 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. Finally, the research highlights that impact does not come through a single route: 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 — from stabilizing and speeding up to scaling out or deepening — may need to be pursued simultaneously to achieve lasting change. Many thanks to 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐳𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐠, 𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐳, 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐫-𝐇𝐨̈𝐟𝐞𝐫, and 𝐄𝐥𝐤𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐚𝐬 for their valuable contributions to this work! #SoilValues #SoilHealth #EcosystemServices #SustainableAgriculture #CircularEconomy #HorizonEurope #RegenerativeAgriculture

How should policy incentives be designed to truly support soil health? Our latest 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 — “𝘔𝘪𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦-𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘪𝘭-𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩” — argues that the answer lies in striking the 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 remain crucial in the early stages of transition, giving farmers the upfront support they need to adopt new approaches. But on their own, they don’t always guarantee measurable improvements. On the other hand, 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 reward tangible results, yet they can expose farmers to unpredictable risks and high implementation costs. The interviews we conducted with policy experts show that a 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 is considered both more effective and fairer: practice-based incentives ensure 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, while outcome-based ones encourage 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and reward 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. Together, they create a pathway where farmers are supported in the short term while building long-term resilience for Europe’s soils. 👉 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: bit.ly/3IpcyQP 📚 Discover all our publications! bit.ly/3VTYfqu #SoilValues #SoilHealth #Policy #Sustainability #EUProjects #PolicyIncentives

📅This time next week, we are joining forces with our partners @SoilValues & organizing a webinar on #SoilCommunityplatform💻 🎙️On behalf of the guest project, @KatoVanRuymbeke, currently postdoctoral researcher @KU_Leuven, will be one of the speakers🌱 🔗shorturl.at/9jyMb

At EAAE congress 2025, SoilValues presented the poster “Designing and Assessing Farm Business Models for People, Planet, and Profit: Insights from Six Farmer-Centered Case Studies”, showcasing research on alternative farm management strategies co-designed with farmers from our 6 Testing Grounds across Europe. The poster presentation was delivered by our partner Youssef Wang-Touri (Wageningen University & Research) The study assessed 17 scenarios by combining expert evaluation of ecosystem services and soil health with partial budgeting to analyse economic aspects. This work lays the foundation for a bioeconomic model that will provide deeper quantitative insights — supporting farmers and decision-makers in adopting soil health practices that are both ecologically and economically sound. Many thanks to Youssef Touri, Maarten Kik, Bert Smit, Miranda Meuwissen, and Helmut Saatkamp for their valuable contributions to this research and their commitment to advancing sustainable, farmer-centered innovation! #SoilValues #SoilHealth #EcosystemServices #SustainableAgriculture #CircularEconomy #HorizonEurope #RegenerativeAgriculture

Last August, SoilValues participated in the EAAE Congress in Bonn, where Marco Moretti presented the poster: “𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐄𝐔 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬” Soil degradation represents a pressing challenge in Europe. This has prompted not only policy responses but also the emergence of numerous bottom-up, grassroots initiatives centred on soil health — collectively referred to as 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 (𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐌𝐬). These models often entail changes in social relations, yet such dimensions remain largely overlooked compared with the technological and economic aspects of SHBMs. The aim of this study was therefore to examine how SHBMs reshape social relations, and how these evolve over time, by adopting a 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 perspective. A descriptive case study approach was employed within the SoilValues project, with six SHBMs selected across different European contexts. This poster discussed three of these cases. Preliminary findings highlighted: 🔹The 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, as SHBMs are deeply embedded in local contexts; 🔹The 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬 as land stewards and key members of rural communities, beyond their function as food producers; 🔹The 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 as a key driver, often in response to political inertia or to surpass legal requirements; 🔹The potential of SHBMs arising from 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, generating benefits for society as a whole. This work illustrates how innovative business models can drive both ecological and social change — contributing to a more resilient and sustainable future for Europe’s soils. Many thanks to Marco Moretti, Kato Van Ruymbeke, Kasper Krabbe, Martin Thorsøe and Erik Mathijs for their valuable contributions to this research and their commitment to advancing sustainable, farmer-centered innovation! #SoilValues #SoilHealth #SocialInnovation #SHBM #EAAE #HorizonEurope #Agriculture #Sustainability

🌱 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭! We’re thrilled to share that Youssef Touri's conceptual paper — 𝘈𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘍𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 — has just been published in the 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, a milestone for our project and a meaningful step toward integrating the economic value of ecosystem services into 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬. 🌱 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠? This is a question at the heart of sustainable agriculture — and the focus of our new research. Farms don’t just produce food. They also provide 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: things like pollination, clean water, carbon storage, and biodiversity. These services are vital for society, but improving them often means farmers must change how they manage their land. To make sense of this complexity, we developed a 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 that puts ecosystem services at the centre of 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 — linking them with 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 in one picture. 💡 Why does this matter? Because understanding these connections helps farmers, advisors, and policymakers design farming systems that work for 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭. This framework tries to offer a solid basis for future research and farm models that can better support sustainable agriculture — farming that works for nature, food, and people. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: doi.org/10.1111/ejss.7…

🌍 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐀𝐀𝐄 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 🌱 The SoilValues project will be present at the EAAE Congress 2025 in Bonn (26–29 August), a key event bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from all over the world to discuss the most topical and pressing issues facing the agri-food sector. The Congress will focus on the urgent need for food system transformation to achieve global sustainability goals, highlighting how agricultural economics can help the agri-food system navigate conflicting and competing interests. We are looking forward to contributing with three poster presentations: 🔹 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐄𝐔 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 – Marco Moretti (presenting author), Kato Van Ruymbeke, Kasper Krabbe, Martin Hvarregaard Thorsøe, Erik Mathijs 🔹 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 – Ronja Herzberg (presenting author), Gerald Schwarz, Marie von Meyer-Höfer, Elke Plaas 🔹 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭: 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 – Youssef Charif Wang-Touri (presenting author), Maarten Kik, Bert Smit, Miranda Meuwissen, Helmut Saatkamp We look forward to exchanging ideas, sharing results, and engaging in fruitful discussions on how innovative business models can foster soil health and sustainable farming. #SoilValues #SoilHealth #EcosystemServices #SustainableAgriculture #CircularEconomy #HorizonEurope #RegenerativeAgriculture