Beyond the Standard Soil Test: Waypoint on Soil Health, Biology & Better Decisions
The Whole Farm Podcast
Soil Testing Is Changing. Here’s What Growers Need to Know.
For a long time, soil testing has been a familiar part of farm decision-making. Pull a sample, send it to the lab, review the numbers, and use that information to guide fertility decisions.
But as more growers look at soil health, regenerative practices, nutrient use efficiency, and biological products, the soil testing conversation is expanding.
In this episode of the Whole Farm Podcast, Michael Piscotta sits down with Oscar Ruiz and Elizabeth “Lizzie” French of Waypoint Analytical to talk through what that shift means for farmers. The conversation covers CEMA 216, Haney testing, Mehlich-3, aggregate stability, soil microbial DNA analysis, and how growers can use these tools without getting overwhelmed.
The biggest takeaway? New soil health testing should not be viewed as a replacement for traditional soil testing. It should be viewed as another layer of information.
As Lizzie explains in the episode, it is an “and” conversation.
Traditional Soil Testing Still Matters
One of the first questions Michael brings to Oscar and Lizzie is whether newer soil health tests mean growers should abandon what they have been doing.
Oscar’s answer is clear: no.
He explains that traditional soil testing methods have been around for decades, with the newest commonly used method, Mehlich-3, having about 40 years of history behind it. That matters because those methods have been used frequently, studied over time, and calibrated across different soil types and crops.
Mehlich-3, Oscar explains, is a double-acid extraction method. It was developed to help determine the probability of crop response to fertilizer applications. It has been used across coastal plain soils, Piedmont soils, sandy soils, lower CEC soils, finer-textured soils, and many other environments.
That history gives growers, agronomists, and labs a large foundation of data to work from.
But that does not mean Mehlich-3 tells the whole story.
What Haney Testing Adds to the Conversation
In the episode, Oscar explains that Dr. Rick Haney developed a different approach using organic acids. The goal of that methodology is to more closely mimic how a plant absorbs nutrients from the soil.
Lizzie describes the difference as: Haney testing can help show what is available now, or what the plant may be able to make available more immediately. Mehlich-3, because it is a stronger extractant, is more tied to season-long availability.
That difference matters.
The numbers from these tests may not look the same because they are not asking the exact same question. One test is not automatically “right” and the other “wrong.” They are looking at different dimensions of nutrient availability.
That is why Lizzie says newer testing brings a high education requirement. Growers and consultants need time to understand what the data means, how to interpret it, and how it fits into the bigger picture of the farm.
Soil Health Testing Is a Tool, Not a One-Time Answer
Both Oscar and Lizzie emphasize that any new soil testing strategy takes time.
Oscar compares it to using any new tool. You do not fully understand it by using it once. You need consistency, frequency, and history.
That means thinking carefully about sample depth, timing, field conditions, and how often you plan to test. It may even mean testing a couple of times throughout the year as you learn what the data is showing you.
For growers participating in soil health or regenerative programs, this is especially important. A single test result can provide useful information, but the real value comes from tracking change over time.
Oscar also points to aggregate stability as an important part of the soil health picture. He describes it as something close to a final product — the result of chemical, physical, and biological factors working together to build soil structure.
In other words, soil health testing is not just about pulling a number. It is about understanding how the system is functioning.
What Growers Should Know About Sampling
The episode also gets practical.
Michael asks whether growers need to do anything differently when handling samples for Haney testing, CEMA 216, or other soil health tests.
Lizzie explains that the basics are similar: growers still need a representative sample from the field. But with this type of testing, especially when microbial activity is involved, sample handling becomes more important.
For example, do not leave the sample sitting in your truck for a week. It should be kept reasonably stable. If you sample on a Friday, Lizzie suggests putting it in the fridge over the weekend before shipping it.
She also notes that because more tests may be run on the sample, growers will likely need to submit a little more soil than they would for a standard Mehlich-3 test.
Why Soil Biology Deserves a Closer Look
Later in the episode, the conversation turns toward biological testing and soil microbial DNA analysis.
Lizzie explains that the Haney soil respiration test can give growers a 40,000-foot view of microbial activity. It helps answer the question: how much microbial activity do I have in my soil?
DNA-based biological testing goes deeper.
Instead of only showing overall activity, it can help identify what those microbes are capable of doing. Lizzie describes it as a more granular look at the soil biology.
This includes information like:
- Overall microbial biomass
- Total levels of bacteria and fungi
- Nitrogen-fixing potential
- Nitrification and denitrification potential
- Phosphorus and potassium solubilization potential
For growers, that information can help connect soil biology back to real management questions.
- What does my microbial community look like?
- What functions are strong?
- Where might the system be lacking?
- What biological products or practices might be a better fit?
- How can I protect my fertilizer investment?
Lizzie also points out that this kind of testing can help growers evaluate biological products. If a retailer or company says a product is doing something in the soil, growers now have more tools to ask for data and better understand whether the product is having the claimed impact.
Oscar adds that growers are getting more tools, and those tools can help evaluate both long-term soil progress and short-term changes from biological or biostimulant products.
Soil Health Progress Does Not Always Show Up in One Number
Lizzie shares an example from sandy soils in the Carolinas, where samples came in from fields with about 1% organic matter. Based on that number alone, she did not expect to see very high microbial biology.
But five out of seven samples were extremely high in microbial biology.
After talking with the crop consultant and grower, Lizzie learned that the high-biology fields had been managed for years with cover cropping, no-till, manure, and biological products. The grower had been doing that for more than 15 years.
The two lower-biology fields had different histories. One had just been purchased, and another was split with another grower every other year.
For Lizzie, that was a light bulb moment.
Even though the grower was still at 1% organic matter, he had built up his soil biology. His environment and management system may not have allowed for a major jump in organic matter, but the biology told a different and important part of the story.
That is a powerful reminder for growers, especially those working in sandy soils or lower-organic-matter environments. Soil health progress may not always show up where you expect it first.
Sometimes, you need to look under the hood.
What Should Farmers Ask?
Toward the end of the episode, Michael asks Oscar and Lizzie what a farmer should do if they listen to the episode and call their local NRCS office the next day.
Oscar encourages growers to go in with an open mind. Ask for guidance. Ask for help. Say you are interested in CEMA 216 and want to understand what it means and how to implement it.
His advice is not to treat this as a short-term program or a one-time test. It is a stewardship approach to farming.
Lizzie adds that growers can also contact Waypoint’s Nebraska or Memphis labs for help with the logistics of sampling once they decide they are interested in participating.
Oscar closes with one specific suggestion for growers who are just starting: pick a spot in the field that you know well and track it.
Instead of trying to understand everything at once, start small. Choose an area you are familiar with. Test it consistently. Learn from it over time.
The Goal Is Long-Term Soil Health
Whether growers call it soil health, sustainability, or regenerative agriculture, Lizzie says the goal is the same: long-term soil health, productive soils, and doing as much as possible as efficiently as possible.
That is the heart of this episode.
Soil testing is changing, but the purpose remains practical. Growers need better information to make better decisions. Traditional fertility tests still matter. Newer soil health and biological tests can add context. And when used consistently, these tools can help growers better understand what is happening below the surface.
For farmers who are regenerative-curious, exploring CEMA 216, evaluating biologicals, or simply trying to make more confident decisions, this conversation is a practical place to start.
Watch the full episode of the Whole Farm Podcast with Oscar Ruiz and Elizabeth French of Waypoint Analytical to hear the full conversation.