South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Name

South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Legal name

South Dakota Soil Health Coalition

Website

https://sdsoilhealthcoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Soil Health & Biological Testing Services (Microbial Activity, Organic Matter, Respiration) (AFACAKAD), Soil Carbon & Regenerative Agriculture Removal (Soil Organic Carbon Credits) (EUABAFAG)

Keywords

• Soil health education
• Regenerative agriculture
• No-till farming
• Cover crop management
• Agricultural training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pierre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and lifetime membership fees from producers, individuals, and other entities supporting soil health education
2. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting soil health advancement and land stewardship
3. Event Registration: Registration fees for Soil Health School ($150 individual, $75 additional from same operation) and Small Scale Ag School ($35 non-members)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition is a producer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates South Dakota farmers, ranchers, and small-scale growers on soil health through multi-day Soil Health Schools, an annual Soil Health Conference, workshops, podcasts, videos, and printed handbooks built around the Five Principles of Soil Health (Soil Cover, Limited Disturbance, Living Roots, Diversity, and Integrating Livestock). The Coalition sells paid event registrations and memberships and distributes free educational resources, with programs delivered at working farms across South Dakota.

Product overview

The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition operates a portfolio of educational products and services centered on soil health education for agricultural producers, small-scale farmers, and youth. Core offerings include the annual Soil Health School (multi-day hands-on field event), annual Soil Health Conference, and Small Scale Ag Soil Health School. Supporting content products include the Soil Strategies Podcast, Profiles in Soil Health video series, audio Soil Health Tips segments, and the SD Soil Health Buckets educational kit. Technical resources encompass the Living Soil Handbook for Small Scale Farmers, Five Principles of Soil Health education materials, youth soil health resources including The Soil Quilt and coloring materials, event recordings, and cover crop planning tools. The organization functions primarily as an educational nonprofit rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soil Health School Three-day immersive educational program for South Dakota farmers and ranchers featuring classroom presentations and hands-on field experiences on the Five Principles of Soil Health, taught by producers and technical experts at working farms.
• Small Scale Ag Soil Health School One-day workshop teaching soil health practices for home gardeners, urban farmers, and small-scale agricultural operations, including soil biology, no-till gardening, cover crops, and integrating livestock in non-traditional farming settings.
• Annual Soil Health Conference Two-day annual conference featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, producer panels, and vendor exhibits for South Dakota producers, researchers, and students working to improve soil health.
• Coalition Membership Program Annual and lifetime membership tiers for farmers, ranchers, individuals, couples, and other entities supporting soil health education, providing access to resources, training, networking, and event benefits.
• SD Soil Health Buckets Educational kit containing 18 accredited lesson plans and hands-on demonstration equipment for soil health principles, provided to vocational agriculture classrooms, soil science classrooms, and youth groups (valued at nearly $500 per kit).
• Living Soil Handbook for Small Scale Farmers Comprehensive printed guide for small-scale farmers and gardeners covering soil biology fundamentals, nutrient cycling, and practical implementation of the Five Principles of Soil Health including no-till gardening, cover crops, compost, and livestock integration.
• Soil Strategies Podcast Ongoing podcast hosted by producer and SDSHC Board Member Roy Thompson featuring interviews with producers, researchers, and professionals discussing soil health, regenerative agriculture, and farm management topics, distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• Each 1% increase in soil organic matter can hold approximately 20,000 additional gallons of water per acre
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• South Dakota USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2015Primary federal partner providing technical expertise and funding support. NRCS staff serve as advisors and presenters at Coalition events. State Conservationist Jeff Zimprich identified the need for the organization in 2015.
• South Dakota Grassland CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2015Initial founding partner that assisted with organizational meeting in 2015 due to longstanding reputation for promoting well-managed grasslands. Co-presents the South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award.
• South Dakota State University ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research expertise, Extension specialists as presenters, and student involvement. Peter Sexton serves as SDSU Extension sustainable cropping systems specialist.
• South Dakota Association of Conservation DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentative from this organization attended the founding meeting in 2015. Local Conservation Districts across the state partner with SDSHC for education and outreach.
• South Dakota No-Till AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural organization partner focused on no-till farming practices, which align with SDSHC's soil health principles.
• South Dakota Department of AgriculturesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner that participated in founding meeting and supports soil health initiatives.
• South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural ResourcessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerState environmental agency partner that attended founding meeting and supports water quality and environmental initiatives.
• USDA Agricultural Research ServicesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal research agency partner providing scientific expertise on soil health research.
• South Dakota Cattlemen's AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented at founding meeting in 2015; hosts organizational meeting at their conference room in Pierre.
• South Dakota Soybean AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural commodity group partner represented at founding meeting. Offering scholarships for the 2026 Soil Health School.
• South Dakota Farm BureausecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural organization represented at the 2015 founding meeting.
• American Farmland TrustsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational sponsor of the Leopold Conservation Award program administered by Sand County Foundation.
• Sand County FoundationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational conservation foundation that administers the Leopold Conservation Award in 28 states, including South Dakota presented with SDSHC and SD Grassland Coalition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sand County Foundation: National nonprofit administering the Leopold Conservation Award in 28 states (including South Dakota with SDSHC) and supporting private lands conservation. Direct partner and natural peer on working-lands soil health and producer recognition.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland conservation, regenerative agriculture, and producer viability; co-sponsor of the Leopold Conservation Award. Comparable mission and overlapping programs at a national scale.
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE): USDA-funded national program supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture through grants, education, and regional host institutions. Overlapping mission and audience with SDSHC, but operating at a federal program scale.
• Soil and Water Conservation Society: National professional society advancing the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources through education, publications, and events. Comparable education/membership/coalition model for conservation professionals and producers.
• Soil Health Institute: National nonprofit established to advance soil health research, education, and policy. Operates at a larger, national scale on a similar mission to SDSHC, making it the closest broad incumbent on soil health.

Direct peers

• South Dakota Grassland Coalition: State-level, producer-led nonprofit based in South Dakota that promotes well-managed grasslands and co-presents the SD Leopold Conservation Award with SDSHC. Almost identical organizational model (membership nonprofit, producer board, education focus) targeting overlapping producer audiences.
• Quivira Coalition: New Mexico-based nonprofit working on regenerative land management, soil health, and ranching education via apprenticeship, events, and producer networks. Highly comparable in mission, GTM, and producer-led community structure.
• No-till on the Plains: Regionally focused nonprofit based in Kansas promoting no-till and soil health practices through conferences, field days, and education — essentially a sister coalition with the same GTM motion and education-led model.
• Practical Farmers of Iowa: Iowa-based farmer-led nonprofit that supports regenerative and conservation agriculture through field days, conferences, research, and peer learning — a close template for SDSHC's producer-led, education/event-driven approach.

Emerging players

• Midwest Cover Crops Council: Regional collaborative of land-grant universities, agencies, and producers promoting cover crop adoption across the Midwest/Upper Midwest. Comparable audience and subject matter (living roots, cover crops, diversity) but a research/extension coordination model rather than a membership nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLKZlNAY7NLN5LkpnaKAsCkKoWf-v7aOCB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-dakota-soil-health-coalition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Dakota Soil Health Coalition