By Brian Maxted –For those of us fortunate to be working in the agriculture industry, our every day is Earth Day. We have a connection to the earth unlike any other. Almost all non-marine life on earth is dependent on those first few inches of soil that allow plant roots to anchor to the Earth’s surface. Equally important, each square inch of topsoil provides a home for billions of microorganisms, which are essential for breaking down essential nutrients, often naturally occurring but otherwise bound in the soil, to feed the roots. With 95-percent of our direct and indirect food supply coming from the soil, our very subsistence is highly dependent on the health of the ground below our feet.