The UNL Soil Judging Team is part of the intercollegiate soil judging community. Soil judging is an activity that occurs across the country, with Regional Contests held each fall. Teams compete at the Regional Contests for the opportunity to compete in the National Collegiate Soils Contest held each spring.
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At the Regional and National Contests, students complete in individual and team judging settings to describe soil morphology (horizonation, color, texture, structure, etc.), determine hydrologic properties, landscape characteristics, soil taxonomy, and land use limitations. Regional and National Contest sites rotate to a different location each year, so students are given three to four days to practice their soil judging skills in the contest area before they compete with other collegiate soil judging teams. Scores and ranks are determined based on how close they can come to the assessments made by local soil scientists on the same soils and sites.
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UNL competes in Region V with teams from Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Teams whose scores rank in the top three in the Region V Contest earn the opportunity to compete in the following National Contest.
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We are always open to new members in all different areas of study. If you're thinking about joining, email us through our Contact tab or ask any questions on our Facebook page.
“Essentially, all life depends upon the soil ... There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.”
- Charles E. Kellogg