The project Geochemical Mapping of Agricultural and grazing land Soil (GEMAS) was carried out in 33 European countries (5.6 million km2) with an average sampling density of 1 site per 2500 km2. The main objective was to assess the chemical quality of productive soils. All collected soil samples were prepared in the same laboratory, and subsequently analysed for the same suite of elements and physicochemical parameters in the same laboratory following a strict quality control procedure. Data interpretation revealed that few soil samples reach element concentrations where toxicity may become of concern. However, more than 10% of samples contain such low element concentrations that deficiency for optimum plant growth and animal health may be a much larger issue warranting attention.