Oct 15, 2021
Rodale Institute’s Kutztown farm hosts 2021 Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest
The Rodale Institute’s Kutztown, Pennsylvania site for the 2021 Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest on Friday, October 15, 2021, hosted by the Delaware Valley University Soil Judging Team.
“This is first time the contest has been held on a certified organic site,” said Jeff Moyer, CEO of Rodale Institute. “Most of the top agricultural schools in the country have a soil judging team, comprised of the soil science students. This is a great opportunity to talk to the future experts of our soil about the benefits of regenerative organic agricultural production on the impacts of soil health.”
“We are excited to be teaming this year with the Rodale Institute, one of the foundational leaders of the organic agriculture movement,” said Steve Dadio, a Delaware Valley University faculty member who teaches the soil judging students.
Soil judging competitions allow students to apply what they are learning about testing and evaluating soil by competing against students from other schools. Competitors identify, evaluate, classify and describe soil profiles and whoever has the closest classification to the judge’s profile wins. The competitions include group and individual portions. Students also get a chance to see soil from different regions of the country through competing.
The Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest is a contest among undergraduates from several different schools. There are eight schools competing this year, including Bloomsburg University, University of Delaware, Delaware Valley University, the University of Maryland, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, the University of Rhode Island and Stockton University. The top 4 schools in the Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest qualify for the National Contest next spring in Ohio.
