Why do prairies have excellent farming soil?

Each farmer in Kansas, a prairie soil state, can feed over 130 people. These are the breadbaskets of the world. They are located in the large, central parts of continents. These soils form where it is too dry for a forest, and too wet for a desert. Instead, long, tall grasses form. read more

This fertile soil was the foundation of farming that continues today. The plants that are grown on Illinois prairie soil today do not leave as much organic material behind to keep the soil rich. The nutrient content of the soil continues to decrease as the land is farmed. read more