The International Soil Science Society (ISSS) was established in 1924 as a private, non-profit organization to foster all branches of soil science and their applications. In 1993, the ISSS was approved as a Scientific Member Union of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and began its transformation to an international scientific union. Since 1998, membership in the new International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) requires national membership through an adhering body. In the United States, this is the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. adhering body for ICSU and most of its 26 disciplinary member unions.

The IUSS officers are:

• President: Roger Swift, University of Queensland, Australia
• Vice President: Neal Menzies, University of Queensland, Australia
• Past-President: Donald L. Sparks, University of Delaware
• Past-Vice President: Gary W. Petersen, Pennsylvania State University
• Secretary-General: Stephen Nortcliff, University of Reading, United Kingdom
• Deputy Secretary-General: Alfred E. Hartemink, International Soil Reference and Information Centre, Netherlands
• Treasurer: J.H. Gauld, The Macaulay Institute, United Kingdom

The IUSS Bulletin is available online at the union website. It provides news on the IUSS and its divisions, national societies, and soil science in general. In addition, monthly IUSS Alerts are distributed by email and posted on the IUSS website.

The union is divided into four scientific divisions, each of which has four or five commissions. The scientific activities of these unions take place in these groups, or in working groups that bridge the interests of more than one commission.

The next World Congress of Soil Science will be in August 2010 in Brisbane, Australia.