Peak soil - Why nutrition is disappearing from our food: https://t.co/uT0PxZLKeP
— healthbot (@thehealthb0t) April 8, 2022
Solomon offers a solution: Remineralization. The process is relatively simple in concept. Through soil-testing, farmers can determine which minerals are deficient and regularly reintroduce them into their farmland. But the economics of it are quite challenging. At current food prices, artificially reduced by government subsides, the cost of remineralization could put many commercial farmers out of business.
Take phosphorus, for example. Vegetables and fruits grown in phosphorus-abundant soil have less starch and sugar, and feature higher concentrations of other important minerals and nutrients. Yet, the nutrient-rich produce looks the same as if it had been grown in phosphorus-deficient soil, making it difficult for consumers to rally behind the cause. Getting a critical mass of consumers is especially important because the cost of reintroducing a healthy supply of phosporus into just an acre of soil is about $10,000.
That's the crux of the problem for remineralization. While reintroducing
