For a group of emerging soil scientists from the United Kingdom, the journey to the 5th International Soil Judging Contest in China was about far more than competition. It was an opportunity to learn, collaborate, exchange knowledge, and build lasting connections with peers from around the world.

The UK team featuring British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) Early Career members Jessica Brook, Theodore Heaton-Davis, Cairo Robb, Thomas Smith, and coach Jay Ryan, joined participants from 18 teams representing 14 countries for the prestigious event, hosted by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and the Soil Science Society of China.

This week, the IUSS Distinguished Service Medal was delivered to Martin Hojsík by the National Agricultural and Food Centre at Lužianky (Slovakia). The event took place during the meeting of the National Soil Hub and the Mirror Group for Soil of the Slovak Republic within the EJP SOIL programme, organized by the Soil Science Society of Slovakia and the Department of Soil Science and Conservation of Bratislava. The event was attended by different stakeholders, including representatives of the NPPC DG, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, and of the National Mirror Group on Soil of the Slovak Republic.

The International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) has launched the 2025-2034 Decade of Soil Sciences for Sustainable Development (DSSSD). The Research Forum of the IUSS, in collaboration with the Executive Committee and the Council, will play a crucial role in enabling activities during this period, promoting research and innovation on sustainable soil management.

On 19 February 2025, more than 70 partners from across the CA4SH network attended the first partner meeting of 2025 to share progress made and the next steps for scaling global soil health. The CA4SH Steering Committee also convened this month to discuss the action areas identified in the partner meeting and strategized the way forward for the Coalition.

The following update provides key takeaways from the two meetings and outlines action points that partners can take to engage with the Coalition and scale soil health globally.

This week, at the Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in  Florence, Italy, the Honorable Penelope Wensley AC was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of her environmental advocacy, diplomacy, and the pursuit of scaling soil health.

At the recent IUSS Centennial Celebration and Congress held in Florence, Italy, on May 19-21, the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) hosted a fireside chat focused on the pivotal role of policy in addressing soil degradation and promoting sustainable land management.

Founded as the International Society of Soil Science (ISSS) on 19th May 1924, the International Union of Soil Scientists (IUSS), with the Italian Soil Science Society (SISS) welcomed more than 1500 scientists from all over the world to Rome, Italy, where the IUSS was founded, to celebrate 100 years of action on soils.