Mosaic’s Message on Biologicals: Treat Them Like Seed
August 12, 2024 Over the past few years, perhaps no other category in agriculture has been as active as biologicals. Thousands of companies – both start-ups and established crop input suppliers – have gotten into this rapidly growing field. However, according to many growers and ag retailers, the proof that many of these products perform as claimed across the nation’s crop fields is oftentimes lacking.
At the recent Advanced Crop Nutrition Innovation Forum held by The Mosaic Co. in Champaign, IL, on August 6, several company speakers addressed the confusion/questions still dogging the biologicals category. According to Matt Sowder, Director of Field Solutions at Mosaic Biosciences, the company wants to help its customers sort through all of this.
“We want to be in the biologicals game with you,” Sowder told attendees. “There are new places to go – and we want to take you there.”
According to Chad Becker, Biologicals Agronomist, part of the problem for biologicals up until now has been its messaging to potential users. “We’ve got a lot of things going on in the biologicals world right now,” said Becker. “But the messaging has been a concern. That’s probably the reason we’ve got some black eyes over the years in this space. It’s been inconsistent, with many representatives just trying to make a sale.”
As a rule of thumb, Becker suggested to growers and ag retailers make their biologicals selections as they would seed. “The major decision these folks make in the early part of the year is genetics, looking at such things as soil types and population needs,” he said. “Biologicals are just like seed. Both are living organisms. So, when you are choosing a biological, you should ask the same questions as you would with your seed selection.”
At Mosaic, Becker said the company is working hard to address industry concerns about biologicals by treating it like any other product that bears the company name – with research and science. “It’s our responsibility as a biologicals company to come up with a product that can answer the questions of our customers,” he said. “And to do this, that product has to be sound and backed up by scientific research data.”
And according to a panel of growers at the event, this approach by Mosaic to biologicals seems to be building confidence. Granvil Travis, Travis Brothers Farm, Belknap, IL, told attendees his views on biologicals has changed, thanks to using such Mosaic offerings such as Biopath and Powercoat – liquid microbials containing bioactives to stimulate plant growth.
“In our minds, all biologicals used to be considered snake oil,” said Travis. “But now, with more research being done on these products, they are something we are trying again on our farm. And they are showing a lot of promise.”
Dave Schrock, Schrock Farms, Bremen, IN, agreed. “We’ve applied a lot of biologicals over the years with zero results,” said Schrock. “But Mosaic is now getting behind them. So, that has led us to trial these products again.”
Loading ...In the end, said Mosaic’s Becker, biologicals can find a home on virtually any crop field across the country – providing the conditions are correct.
“I believe there’s a fit for biologicals on every acre,” he concluded. “It just depends on how you go about utilizing them.”
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