Major-General Michael Jeffrey appointed Soils Advocate

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a major soil health initiative yesterday in Canberra:  "the appointment of a person with the authority and trust of the community to raise awareness of the importance of soil – an Advocate for Soil Health":  former Governor-General, Michael Jeffrey. "This role will also involve the development of soil research priorities to complement existing efforts to develop a national soil research, development and extension strategy," said the PM, speaking at the NFF national conference. "Government departments, CSIRO and our rural RDCs must continue to take an integrated approach to ensure resources are used sustainably and we target investment to the right areas. We also need to engage better with our soil scientists to take advantage of new ideas and provide the information that farmers need to look after their soil." The project will be paid for from the recently announced $700 million ‘sustainable agriculture’ stream in the next phase of the Caring for our Country program. The Carbon Coalition and Carbon Farmers of Australia salute Major-General Michael Jeffrey for putting the power of his quiet diplomacy and his passion for sustainable agriculture behind the campaign for soil regeneration - providing our drive for soil carbon credits with a legitimacy we could not have hoped to achieved on our own. Soils for Life is a brilliant concept. Congratulations Tom, Walter, John, Simon and the backroom boys. Now the main game becomes the main game.