For routine soil testing for farm and garden fertility recommendations, please visit the Agricultural and Environmental Testing Lab page for sample submission information. Note: Appointments are not required for dropping off these soils.
About SHREC
The Soil Health Research and Extension Center (SHREC) provides results, recommendations, and education to Vermont farmers and agricultural service providers. In addition to soil health testing, SHREC will provide applied research, outreach, and education throughout the state.
Testing Capabilities
SHREC currently has the following soil health testing capabilities including:
- Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC)
- Autoclaved Citrate Extractable (ACE) Protein
- Total Carbon and Total Nitrogen
- Wet Aggregate Stability
- Soil Respiration
- Phospholipid Fatty Acid (PLFA) to measure fungal to bacterial ratios (coming soon)
- CEMA 216 Soil Health Testing
Soil Sampling, Sample Submission, and Payment:
- How to use the SHREC Lab
- How to take a soil health sample
- SHREC Submission Form
- SHREC Payment Portal (coming soon)
Tests and Costs
- Wet Aggregate Stability (WAS) $27.00
- Active Carbon (POXC) $12.50
- ACE Protein (ACE) $14.00
- Total Carbon & Nitrogen (TC/TN) $22.00
- Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) $33.00
- Respiration (RESP) $25.00
- SHREC Soil Health Analysis Package $50.00
- WAS, POXC, ACE, Soil Texture
- SHREC Soil Health Analysis Package II (NRCS CEMA 216) $150.00
- WAS, POXC, ACE, Respiration, SOC, Soil Texture, Soil pH
Mailing address
(please do not ship samples to the “contact” address at the bottom of this page)
SHREC Lab
Jeffords Hall
63 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405
Contact
For general questions regarding SHREC services and activities, please reach out to SHREC@uvm.edu. Specific contacts are listed below:
- Joshua Faulkner (Joshua.Faulkner@uvm.edu) - SHREC Director
- Deb Neher (Deborah.Neher@uvm.edu) - SHREC Associate Director
- Marie English (Marie.English@uvm.edu) – SHREC Lab Manager
- Heather Darby (Heather.Darby@uvm.edu) – SHREC Extension Coordinator
- Shawn Lucas (Shawn.Lucas@uvm.edu) – Extension Assistant Professor
Soil Health Indicator Webinar Series
Introduction
The SHREC team produced the following series to provide an audience ranging from educators to farmers to better understand soil health indicators. This features presentations from Heather Darby, Lindsey Ruhl, Joshua Faulkner, and Deb Neher of the University of Vermont and Caitlyn E. Hicks Pries of Dartmouth College.
Introduction to Soil Health Indicators and Testing
Introduction to Soil Health Indicators and Testing
Dr. Heather Darby, Professor of Agronomy and Lindsey Ruhl, Research Specialist, Extension, University of Vermont
Crushing It: Soil physical properties, compaction, aggregate stability, and soil health
Crushing It: Soil physical properties, compaction, aggregate stability, and soil health
Dr. Joshua Faulkner, Research Associate Professor, University of Vermont
Biological Indicators: what, how, and why
Biological Indicators: What, How, and Why
Dr. Deborah Neher, Professor Emerita, University of Vermont
Is soil health connected to carbon persistence? What management practices promote long-term carbon storage?
Is soil health connected to carbon persistence? What management practices promote long-term carbon storage?
Dr. Caitlyn E. Hicks Pries, Dartmouth College
Educational Content
Understanding Soil Life & Measuring Soil Health in Agriculture
Deb Neher
October 2025
Presented at Vermont Grass Farmers Association
SHREC is funded by the Food Systems Research Institute.