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The Importance of Soil Health

08th August 2025

The ground beneath your feet is more important than you think and this year's Goodwood Health Summit, presented by Randox Health focussed on the intricated relationships between soil and human microbiomes.

We rarely stop to think about the dirt beneath our feet. For most of us, soil is something we walk on, plant in, or try to brush off our shoes. But the truth is, this unassuming layer of earth is the foundation of life itself and the state it’s in matters far more to our wellbeing than most of us realise.

For decades, intensive farming, heavy machinery and overuse of chemicals have stripped our soils of their vitality. These practices may boost short-term yields, but they damage the delicate ecosystems within the soil, leading to declining biodiversity, poor water retention and a worrying drop in the nutrient content of the food we eat. This isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s a human health issue.

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Why Soil Matters

Healthy soil is a living, breathing ecosystem, home to billions of microorganisms in every handful. These microbes recycle nutrients, lock away carbon and help plants defend themselves from pests and disease, all of which has a direct effect on the quality of the crops we grow and, in turn, the food we eat.

The facts are sobering:

- 95% of our food comes from the soil.

- In the last century, more than 90% of crop varieties have disappeared.

- Just nine plant species now make up 66% of total crop production, despite the 30,000+ edible plants available to us.

- The UN warns that 90% of the Earth’s topsoil could be degraded by 2050, reducing crop yields by up to 10%, equivalent to losing millions of acres of farmland.

And it doesn’t stop there. Healthy soils produce nutrient-rich food, which supports a diverse human microbiome, the community of microbes in your gut that influences digestion, immunity, inflammation and even mental wellbeing. Damaged soils mean fewer nutrients in our food, impacting everything from our energy levels to our long-term risk of chronic disease.

The Soil–Gut Connection

Scientists are uncovering extraordinary parallels between the soil microbiome and the human microbiome. Both are complex, diverse ecosystems that thrive on variety. Both are more resilient when their biodiversity is high. And both can be damaged by intensive chemical use, monocultures and poor diet.

When soils are healthy, plants are richer in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. When we eat those plants  - or the animals raised on them -  we pass those benefits on to our own microbiome, helping to strengthen our immunity, reduce inflammation, and support long-term wellbeing.

Goodwood’s Commitment to Healthy Soil

At Goodwood, we’ve long recognised that healthy soil is the starting point for healthy food and healthy people. Goodwood Home Farm, one of the largest lowland organic farms in Europe, spans 3,400 acres and uses regenerative farming practices to restore soil vitality. This includes everything from rotating crops and grazing animals together, to enriching the soil with beneficial fungi that rebuild its natural structure.

Our history is rooted in this approach. Susan, Duchess of Richmond and Gordon was one of Britain’s organic pioneers, leading Goodwood towards sustainable farming decades before it became a movement. Her vision, shared by the present Duchess, still shapes how we care for the land today.

In Partnership with Randox Health

This year’s Goodwood Health Summit, presented by Randox Health, brings soil health into the wellbeing conversation. Randox Health’s pioneering diagnostics, including gut microbiome profiling, reveal the health of our own internal ecosystems. The parallels with soil are striking just as we must nurture the diversity of life underground, we must nurture the diversity of life within ourselves.

Randox Health’s science-led approach to prevention mirrors regenerative agriculture’s long-term view: invest in care now to avoid crisis later. It’s about building resilience, whether that’s in a field or in the human body.

The Goodwood Health Summit, presented by Randox Health, brings together world-leading experts to debate topics and trends that can lead towards a healthier future for all. This year the Summit, which will be livestreamed from Goodwood House is chaired by Dr Chris van Tulleken, confirmed speakers for the event include Mr James Kinross, Patrick Holden CBE, Dan Kittredge and Dr Federica Amati. Stephanie Moore, Goodwood’s resident gut health expert, will also join the panel as a featured speaker.

From Soil to Self: How You Can Get Involved

  • You can join the online audience for this year’s Goodwood Health Summit taking place on Thursday 2 October 2025.
  • Enter our Ultimate Gut Health Competition to be in with the chance win an, which includes three online tickets to the Goodwood Health Summit, a Randox Health Gut Microbiome Test and one place on a Gut Reset Wellness Stay at The Goodwood Hotel.
  • Explore more about Goodwood Home Farm, our organic produce, and sustainable food ethos
  • Follow us on social for ongoing updates, expert insights and wellness inspiration

 

 

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