World Soil Day 2026
World Soil Day 2026 is on Saturday, December 5, 2026 (in 29 days). It is observed every year on December 5 and led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It is not a federal holiday.
- Date
- Saturday, December 5, 2026
- Countdown
- In 29 days
- Federal holiday
- No
- Date rule
- December 5 (fixed date)
- Possible dates
- Always December 5; only the weekday changes
- Next occurrence
- Sunday, December 5, 2027
World Soil Day dates by year
| Year | Date | Weekday | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 5, 2025 | Friday | 336 days ago |
| 2026 | December 5, 2026 | Saturday | in 29 days |
| 2027 | December 5, 2027 | Sunday | in 12 months |
| 2028 | December 5, 2028 | Tuesday | in 2 years |
| 2029 | December 5, 2029 | Wednesday | in 3 years |
| 2030 | December 5, 2030 | Thursday | in 4 years |
| 2031 | December 5, 2031 | Friday | in 5 years |
| 2032 | December 5, 2032 | Sunday | in 6 years |
| 2033 | December 5, 2033 | Monday | in 7 years |
| 2034 | December 5, 2034 | Tuesday | in 8 years |
Dates are calculated from the rule shown above, not copied from a list, so they stay correct for any year. See everything else happening that month in the calendar for December 2026.
The date of World Soil Day
World Soil Day is fixed on December 5, so only the weekday changes. The date honors the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who supported the idea of the day. The International Union of Soil Sciences proposed an international soil day in 2002, the FAO Conference endorsed it in 2013, and the UN General Assembly made it official in December 2013. The first official World Soil Day was held on December 5, 2014. In 2027 the day is on Sunday, December 5, 2027.
Why soil matters
According to the FAO, about 95% of the food people eat is produced directly or indirectly on soil, and it can take up to 1,000 years to form a single centimeter of topsoil. Soil also stores carbon, filters water and is home to a large share of the planet's living organisms. Erosion, salinization, pollution and loss of organic matter degrade soils faster than they can recover, and the day calls for managing them sustainably.
Themes and awards
Each year the FAO and its Global Soil Partnership choose a theme. Recent themes include "Stop soil erosion, save our future" (2019), "Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity" (2021), "Soils: Where food begins" (2022), "Soil and water, a source of life" (2023) and "Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage" (2024). On the day the FAO presents the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award to an organization that has promoted the day's message. The United Nations also declared 2015 the International Year of Soils.
Soil conservation in the United States
In the United States, soil conservation grew out of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when drought and over-plowing stripped topsoil from the Great Plains. Congress passed the Soil Conservation Act in 1935 and created the Soil Conservation Service, led by Hugh Hammond Bennett, who is often called the father of soil conservation. The agency is now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it works with farmers on practices such as cover crops, no-till farming and contour plowing. Every state also has an official state soil.
What people do on the day
Universities, soil science societies, farm groups and schools hold lectures, field days and soil testing events. Gardeners can mark the day by composting kitchen scraps, mulching beds, avoiding bare ground over winter or sending a soil sample to a local extension service for testing. World Soil Day comes a week or two after Thanksgiving, a reminder that the harvest starts in the ground.
Frequently asked questions about World Soil Day
When is World Soil Day 2026?
World Soil Day 2026 is on Saturday, December 5, 2026.
When is World Soil Day 2027?
World Soil Day 2027 is on Sunday, December 5, 2027.
Is World Soil Day a public holiday?
No. It is an international observance, not a federal or state holiday in the United States.
Why is World Soil Day on December 5?
December 5 is the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who championed the day.
Who organizes World Soil Day?
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Global Soil Partnership.