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Are you aware that 33% of the world's soil has already been degraded, and more than 90% could face degradation by 2050 due to soil erosion? The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) considers soil erosion to be the most significant threat to global food security. Soil erosion is a critical environmental issue that threatens the health and productivity of our agricultural systems, natural landscapes, and ecosystems. As we work towards building more sustainable land management practices, understanding the causes, effects, and potential solutions for soil erosion is essential. 

In this blog, we have compiled our top five videos on soil erosion. Scroll through for the full list, or click the links to jump to the video that interests you most.

1. Why the World is Running Out of Soil? 
2. Living Soil: A Documentary 
3. Soil Erosion: Process 
4. Soil Erosion Hits Farmers in the Midwest, Costing Billions Annually
5. Field Examples of Soil Erosion 

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1. Why the World is Running Out of Soil? 

Critical topsoil is eroding at a rapid pace due to climate change and unsustainable farming practices. The United Nations has warned that soil is a finite resource, forecasting a devasting depletion within the next 60 years. Soil is essential for farming, water filtration, climate mitigation, ecosystem services, health care, and more. According to the Smithsonian, “more than 57.6 billion tons of topsoil have eroded in the Midwest.”

In this 12-minute video by CNBC Business News, Andrea Miller interviews soil experts from The Rodale Institute, The Soil Health Institute, and Midwest farmers to explore the causes of soil erosion and potential solutions for addressing it. 

2. Living Soil: A Documentary 

“Our soil supports 9% of all food production, and by 2060, it will need to produce as much food as we have consumed in the last 500 years,” explains The Soil Health Institute. Soil filters our water, sequesters carbon, and serves as a foundation for biodiversity. Yet, “in the last 150 years, we’ve lost half of the basic building block that makes soil productive. The societal and environmental costs of soil loss and degradation in the United States alone are now estimated to be as high as $85 billion every year.”  

In this 60-minute documentary, The Soil Health Institute features discussions on soil health with innovative farmers and soil health experts throughout the U.S. This film takes a deep dive into the urgent need to restore and protect our soils.

3. Soil Erosion: Process

In this 4-minute video, North Dakota State University Extension Soil Specialists Abbey Wick and Dave Frazen, along with University of Minnesota Extension Educator Jodi DeJong-Hughes, explain the process of soil erosion, outlining the impact of factors like wind and water. The video offers practical solutions for farmers to reduce erosion, such as using cover crops, residue management, and windbreaks.

4. Soil Erosion Hits Farmers in the midwest, Costing Billions Annually 

Soil erosion is causing serious problems for farmers in the American Midwest. Topsoil erodes by approximately two millimeters (about the width of a nickel) per year. Two millimeters may not sound like much, but researchers say that this small, gradual erosion is adding up over the years, and experts say it’s costing farmers billions of dollars annually. 

In this 3.5-minute video, CNBC’s Perry Russel reports from Iowa, showcasing what Midwest farmers are doing to combat soil degradation and rebuild topsoil.

5. Field Examples of Soil Erosion 

In this 6-minute video, NDSU Extension Soil Health Specialist Abbey Wick, UMN Extension Educator Jodi DeJong-Hughes, and NDSU Extension Soil Specialist Dave Franzen examine how management practices impact soil erosion and discuss ways growers can reduce erosion on their farms. The group visited five fields in the northern Red River Valley on a windy, wintry North Dakota day.

Want to Learn More About Soil Erosion?

If you want to learn more about soil erosion and the different solutions farmers are using to combat it in their fields, be sure to check out this 5-minute read. In this blog, we discuss how soil erosion affects farmers and the environment, the leading causes of soil erosion, and potential solutions to mitigate it.