Learn about the Soil Report, including the definition, benefits, tips, coverage and update frequency.
How to generate a soil report in Land id™
How to leverage a soil report from Land id™ with the Web Soil Surveys
Available with any of the following subscriptions:
- Land id™ Pro
- Land id™ Pro Unlimited
Definition
Land id™'s Soil Report is derived primarily from the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). The SSURGO database contains information about soil as collected by the National Cooperative Soil Survey over the course of a century. The information is available for most areas in the United States served by the USDA-NRCS. The information is gathered by walking over the land and observing the soil. Many soil samples were analyzed in laboratories. Additional crop ability data are included for states that depend on separate but related productivity indexes.
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Key benefits
- Soil Composition: Soil composition is a critical factor in determining the value and potential of your land. With Land id™, you can learn the specific names of the soils on your property and gain insights into their permeability, ideal crops and potential limitations.
- Soil Acreage: Land id™ not only teaches you about every soil type present on a property and supplies you with the corresponding acreage for each type. This feature enables you to determine the land percentage suitable for specific agricultural pursuits.
- Soil Capabilities: Our soil reports offer more than just identifying the soil types present on your land. We provide valuable information regarding the potential uses of your property, including, but not limited to, wildlife and forestry management and intensive agricultural practices.
- NCCPI: By examining the National Commodity Crop Productivity Index rating of an area, you can easily evaluate the land's productivity based on the soil's characteristics, terrain, and climate.
- WAPI: The ideal crops for a particular region depend on various factors. Land id™’s soil reports offer Weighted Average Productivity Index values that enable you to determine the average anticipated yield per acre for numerous crops.
Limitation: Soil survey data is updated frequently, but there can be a lag between when new data is created by the USDA, updated in their distributed data and incorporated into Land id™.
How to generate a soil report in Land id™
How to leverage a soil report from Land id™ with the Web Soil Surveys
While our soil report provides rich and critical soil information, it is only the beginning if you want the most information available about your soil types. The USDA Web Soil Survey (WSS) is the authoritative source for the thousands of data points collected and analyzed by the SSURGO program. Use your Land id™ map to access this incredible repository and extract the information you need for your project. All you need to do is download your map shapefile and upload it to the WSS.