The soil microbiome is critical for the ecosystem, and agricultural practices that promote microbial diversity can support plant health and help protect against pests. But it is unclear which practices are most beneficial, and what motivates farmers to choose them. In a new study, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Cornell University analyzed surveys and soil samples from 85 organic farmers in New York to investigate the interaction between beliefs, management practices, and soil microbiome functions.

The application of food as a medical intervention is founded on decades of evidence demonstrating that various plant-forward dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and all-cause mortality, while greater consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher risks of a variety of adverse health outcomes, such as cardiometabolic disease, common mental disorders, and mortality outcomes.