Repeated applications of manure to agricultural lands can significantly influence the quality of the soil as a medium for plant growth and as an environmental filter or buffer. There are many soil chemical, biological, and physical properties that can be measured as indicators of soil quality and its potential impact on plant production and the environment. The simple soil properties that are measured in field research trials and reported on in this paper can also be employed by producers as tools for monitoring the effects of manure application on their own land base. Additions of manure nutrient to soil at an agronomic rate that matches the crop nutrient requirement and removal over time is expected to have a positive impact on soil and environmental quality. This approach will maintain or improve soil fertility while avoiding nutrient overloading. The benefit of increased soil organic matter is perhaps the most significant factor, as organic matter plays a major role as a long-term storehouse of carbon and nutrients, and promotes microbial activity, soil structure, water relations and chemical buffering. However, salinity impacts and overloading of both functional and non-functional elements can negate these benefits when hog manure is over applied or applied to soils with limitations in drainage and buffering capabilities.