Redox Grows

The movie character Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic and adventurous characters in history. While Harrison Ford carried out his impressive acting as Indy, Dr. Richard Hansen has carried out similar adventures in real life – with a few major differences.“Before he crashed in the airplane, he always jumps out and saves himself. We stay on the airplanes until after they crash,” Hansen said. “Indiana Jones was out plundering archeological sites to get the famed treasure. Our objectives aren't the artifacts. Our objective is to tell the story. The artifact is a consequence, not the objective.”Hansen is a world-renowned archeologist who has mapped and excavated 56 ancient cities in Central America, as part of the Mirador Basin Project.He has spent 42 years working in the jungle, with jaguars, poisonous snakes and drug runners nearby. The Idaho native also has a long farming history, and supports learning from past civilizations for brighter, more sustainable future for our food and natural resources.

There's a way to further maximize farm production and do it sustainably. It involves understanding redox potential and how it helps plants focus on growth, health and quality. Dr. Olivier Husson, a world-renowned expert in plant and soil health, has identified a revolutionary approach of analyzing the pH and Eh of plants, to ensure they are in proper balance. He said this critical analysis means stronger plants, less insect and disease pressure and, ultimately, healthier food for consumers. “If you don't know where you are, and if you don't know what your practices are doing and where they bring you, there's almost no way that you can be at the right, balanced position,”  Husson said. He said the good news is there is ample evidence that keeping the right pH/Eh balance in fields is achievable and bolstered by new technology including handheld devices from Senseen that provide immediate analysis of plant nutrients, pH and Eh.

Innovation is a cornerstone of successful farming, and no one knows that more than grower Glenn Noma.After a long, successful career with the large California vegetable farm, Tanimura & Antle, he has a creative new endeavor in the Salinas Valley – hydroponic strawberries.Growing them in this unusual way provides many benefits, including providing berries to consumers during times when conventional operations are unable to fulfill.Noma said Redox Bio-Nutrients has long been a key to his success, with diKaP™, Mainstay™ Calcium 2.0 and Mainstay™ Si among his proven winners.“In my overall fertilizer budget, I was actually spending less per acre per year and getting better and higher quality yields,” he said. “Now I'm using it for hydroponic strawberries, and  it has worked extraordinarily well.”Glenn is a third-generation produce grower, and his past innovation includes designing a solar powered harvester.

American farmers continue to set productivity records, although they face many impediments to success. Pam Lewison in Washington State knows those struggles personally, and she's working to keep agriculture vital and viable. Lewison is research director at the Washington Policy Center's Center for Agriculture. Her mission includes making sure their elected officials understand how legislation and regulation impact those growing their food. She also works with the media, providing articles that educate the public about why agriculture matters.“If we use our words and share them appropriately with the media, we have the opportunity to make sure that people see us as who we are,” Lewison said. “I think that's probably the most powerful avenue that we have available to us.”Lewison and her husband operate JP Ranch, a forage farm in Moses Lake. They have been Redox customers for the past five years, including helping combat salt buildup in their soil, as well as nutrition for their alfalfa crop. As for diKap™, Lewison said “It's fantastic. We get some extra tonnage, and it makes for some really beautiful bales of hay. We have nothing but good things to say about it."

California avocados are a quintessential high value crop. They are beloved by consumers and a big part of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, with 80 million pounds of fruit sold.Grower Jason Cole in Santa Paula, California, said quality and sizing are vital for success,  and he spends great care in the nutrition he uses to achieve that.“We run a lot of humics and fulvics,” Cole said. “We use a ton of H-85, plus Rx Platinum, diKaP and Rootex…. Anything I've found spending on nutrition, as long as that fruit keeps coming in above industry average, I think it's money well spent.”Cole is Chair of the California Avocado Commission and said the industry expects another abundant avocado crop weighing about 375 million pounds. Future crops could be even heavier with new plantings throughout the state.

Growers can be poised for abundant crops, only to see their production take a major hit due to a stress event like a heatwave or cold spell. Abiotic stress can be detrimental to any crop. A weakened plant can also be more susceptible to biotic stresses like pests and disease. Redox Corporate Agronomist John Kelly said stress losses can be lessened when fields and orchards have proper nutrition that encourages strong plants, soil health, root growth and abiotic stress defense.  He said diKaP™ has long proven itself as a tremendous boost in this area. “It's a powerful biostimulant that also includes phosphorus and potassium nutrition,” he said. “diKaP™ stimulates the plant for better respiration. With better respiration, there's more energy ultimately coming into the plant,  which means that plant now has resources to withstand stress.” He said advancements in Redox technology can help growers succeed.“I've never been more enthusiastic,” Kelly said. “Where there's a motivation for change. Where there's motivation to improve for higher crop performance, that's where the opportunity is for Redox, to help identify what can be done to improve the bottom line.

Sustainable growing methods are garnering more attention and application in agriculture. Increased emphasis in Washington, D.C. on healthy eating could spur even more growth.Amy Bruch of Cyclone Farms in Nebraska  is helping interested growers shift from conventional to organic farming. Named Organic Farmer of the Year by a leading trade organization, Bruch runs AgriSecure, a consulting company to assist farmers.“Our farm has adopted a lot of technology and a really interesting take on how to grow organic crops,” she said. “ We do it with a high level of management, agronomic focus, and marrying a nostalgic way of organic production with the latest and greatest in technology.  That's our bread and butter – helping others adopt some of those interesting techniques, and it has really been exciting for us.”Since 2000, certified U.S. acreage for growing or livestock has nearly tripled. Organic sales account for about 3 percent of U.S. farm receipts, on less than one percent of the farmland. 

Vernon Jones saw firsthand the power of Redox TurfRx® technology as a superintendent before his current position as an agronomist and account consultant for Plant Health Solutions.As superintendent of The Polo Club in Boca Raton, Florida, he saw amazing results from a trial program on a struggling fairway. He expanded his use of TurfRx® products and has become a huge fan of the results. He now helps superintendents save heartache and labor by helping their courses stay pristine, even when battling rain, insects, disease, cold spells and oxidative stress pressure.“When you're dealing with something that's your livelihood, the way you put food on your table, you really can't put a dollar amount on that,” he said. “The greens need to come first, regardless. If you can grow a healthier plant, it's just a no brainer. It's definitely worth the investment- it's just shifting that mindset and those dollars to focusing on nutrition, instead of medicines.”Florida golf is an $11 billion industry., with nearly 48 million rounds played each year.

Fifth-generation grower Brandon Hunnicutt is passionate about making a positive impact well beyond his farm in Giltner, Nebraska.Hunnicutt is involved in leadership of many organizations, as he tries to best understand new technology and how he and other growers can improve in areas like synthetic nitrogen use, which has caused concern over impacts on groundwater and community health. He said a key is for growers to understand and adopt new technology that helps both farm environment, providing it makes economic sense.“If we start mixing certain tools together, we can maybe not get all of the answers, but we will start unlocking some things that will really change what we can do in production agriculture,” Hunnicutt said. Hunnicutt serves as chair of the Nebraska Corn Board, is a board member of the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council. Additionally, he's chair of Field to Market, works with the USDA on greenhouse gas studies and is helping African farmers better feed their population.

When near the nation's capital, Richardson Farms is a must stop for many. This family owned and operated farm in White Marsh, Maryland is well known for its fantastic produce and amazing meals in their market.The foundation of the business remains several hundred acres of vegetables, and Redox Bio-Nutrients is a big part of their quality harvests. “Awesome track record,” said Brian Richardson, who manages their farm with his two uncles. “Our tomatoes and our melons – the dry fertilizer that we broadcast underneath the plastic culture has been reduced by 40 to 50 percent. I feed all of that with Redox products, and we've never had better results and better fruit than what we're getting now.”This fifth-generation grower said growing premium quality is mandatory for their success.“In the vegetable and produce industry, quality sits at the top of the list above anything else,” he said.Richardson Farms started in 1930. Find out more at: https://www.richardsonfarms.net.

Restoring our environment is as major focal point throughout the country, with billions of dollars spent each year. Soil reclamation projects are on the rise, including promising work being done in North Dakota with the help of Cody Hatzenbuhler of Pan Ag. These projects involve restoring soil health in areas where degradation has occurred from numerous of factors, including excessive salt build up. “For the state of North Dakota, it's costing them probably $15-18 million per site to clean up,” Hatzenbuhler said. A dump and haul of the ailing soil is the usual tactic, which is costly and doesn't allow for the virgin soil to remain.Hatzenbuhler is using Redox Bio-Nutrients products Soilex and Mainstay ™ Calcium 2.0, along with an additional product from his home state that helps consume excessive salt. He said this combination is having a very positive impact, not only in reducing salt levels but making progress without massive dirt removal.

Agriculture has changed a lot over the generations. From the Industrial and Green Revolution to the use of digital technology, farming continues to evolve to stay competitive and meet customer needs.The next revolution in agriculture may well involve farming for health –sophisticated inputs that have more profound impacts on plant yield and quality, leading to tastier, more nutritious food.“We have to look to maximum output with minimum input,” said Redox CEO Darin Moon. “Not only is that the future from an environmental or world standpoint, it is the future from a human health standpoint, as well. That is, because we are doing that, we are growing healthier crops.”Moon said there has never been a more exciting time for scientific discovery into plant nutrition.  He said as growers understand and implement plant charge balance in their fields, the results will be positive for agriculture, our environment and consumers. 

Robert Masson had an unusual path to Yuma, Arizona, and growers in the desert southwest are glad he made it.After time in the U.S. Navy, as a researcher for a Midwest popcorn company and soybean breeding technician in North Carolina, Masson has been an agricultural extension agent for the University of Arizona in Yuma since 2019.Masson works in several ways to help growers succeed, including contract field research with companies including ours, covering soil health, efficient nutrient uptake and water use efficiency. He said occasional failure is an important part of putting maximum effort into research.“Setbacks are essential,” Masson said. “That's one thing that defines the American culture. … You get wiser after a failure. If you're not failing, you should probably be dreaming a little bigger, as long as you can get the recovery.”

The Commodity Classic is one of the final shows in a very busy winter meeting season for growers.This year's activities in Denver once again attracted thousands of growers and industry officials, with hundreds of exhibitors and many educational sessions. The kickoff session featured a packed house to watch Redox CEO Darin Moon outline how growers can optimize their nitrogen use.His message was well received by many, including Nebraska corn grower Brett Meyer.“Darin is talking about doing things with less product with more efficiency,” Meyer said. “That's where we're going. Agriculture is heading that direction whether we like it or not, and Darin seems to be on the forefront of it.Business of Agriculture host Damian Mason was among those who watched the Redox speech.“There's an openness to this information,” Mason said. “…these people understand this is the future and they're embracing it.”New USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins also attended the event. Her comments to the media included optimism to increase export opportunities for U.S. growers.“I hope to begin making trade trips very soon across the world,” she said. “I've already begun conversations with several key, significant trading partners that I think will make a huge difference to our farmers and ranchers back home.” 

Business of Agriculture host Damian Mason puts in extraordinary air miles during the winter meeting season, and he made time to visit our headquarters in Burley for the second straight year.He toured the Redox research farm greenhouse and met with our head of research, Dr, Gifford Gillette. He also interviewed company president, Colton Moon.Recently named as Top Ag Influencer at the FarmCon Conference in Kansas City,  Mason said he was impressed with the cutting-edge technology at Redox.“There are two things that you guys are at the front of the pack on and it's the right thing to do,” he said. “You have products that can allow producers to reduce applications of synthetic nitrogen and phosphorus, and that is absolutely where the future is going. The fact is I'm surprised the future is not here more rapidly than it is.”Mason said he expects there will be greater emphasis on healthier eating in the coming years.  He said growers for a long time have frequently prioritized bigger harvests, but he thinks food as health care with a higher protein content and nutrient density will gain momentum – especially if growers see incentives for more nutritious crops. 

Humic and fulvic acid are gaining popularity on the farm, and new scientific understandings should lead to an even brighter future.“I think of humics and fulvics in agriculture as one of the greatest areas of opportunity for a farmer to bring biology into his system,” remarked Dr. Gifford Gillette, head researcher at Redox. “They really meet the needs placed upon us in agriculture right now from an efficiency standpoint.”The two most documented benefits from these substances are an increase in root biomass and a boost in nitrogen uptake, but there are more than 60 different impacts that a humic substance can have on a crop. Gillette said growers interested in humics and fulvics should look beyond a product label and ask questions to better understand benefits. Redox technology undergoes careful extraction and fractionation, so it provides consistent and highly targeted benefits.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) provides the biggest and what many feel is the best show of its kind in the world. This year's events in San Diego attracted some 10,000 industry professionals from all over the world.“I love seeing the new products that are coming out and being able to network with friends and other superintendents,” said James Rauhuff, Superintendent of Hawk's Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Georgia, which utilizes Redox TurfRx™ technology. “This helps me make sure we're staying at the forefront of our industry.”The golf industry has been on a growth clip in recent years, and there are positive feelings that this trend will continue. In fact, Jeff White, immediate past president of the GCSAA described the industries current growth streak as “rocket fuel,” with many booms in recent memory.The GCSAA event wrapped up with a stirring account from industry leader Rhett Evans on his climbing Mt. Everest and baseball legend Ozzie Smith, known as “The Wizard of Oz” for his incredible defensive skill at shortstop, receiving the Old Tom Morris award for his work to help propel golf to even greater heights in the future.

More than 10,000 turfgrass professionals are meeting in San Diego this week, for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Conference and Trade Show, the largest event of its kind.The GCSAA show has been a staple for Dean Piller, longtime superintendent of Cordova Bay Golf Course in Victoria, British Columbia.“Well, I think to be successful in anything you do in your life, you need to have connections and build strong relationships with friends,” he said. “People and companies that you can rely on. I've built those relationships coming to this show for 35 years, and I look forward to it every year.”New technology is of interest of many attendees. Piller has long utilized Redox TurfRx™ products, and recently added TurfRx™ OsmoPro, which generated excellent results.Longtime industry agronomist Scott Poynot attended along with two superintendents he works with in Louisiana – Kiwi Robinson of Pelican Point Golf Course and Scott LeBouef with Farm d'Allie Golf Club.Like many superintendents in their region, Robinson and LeBouef needed quick action to deal with a rare heavy snowstorm early this year. They said the Redox TurfRx products they employed helped their greens come through the cold and snowy conditions without any significant issues.

Weather can be friend or foe to farmers, and two hurricanes since 2023 have been disastrous for many growers in the southern US.Two years after Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc, Hurricane Helene packed an even more powerful punch.Pecan grower Buck Paulk of Shiloh Farms lost 19,000 trees during Idalia, and 23,000 more with Helene.  Georgia is the nation's largest pecan-growing state, and their growers suffered nearly $700 million in crop losses from the latest hurricane.“I have orchards that I planted when I was a young man, they're gone,” Paulk said. He said it may take a generation for his region to fully recover. A week after the disaster, President Biden toured Paulk's farm to see the damage firsthand.Photo Credit: Georgia Pecan Growers Association

Thanks to a program by The Fertilizer Institute, members of Congress are learning more about the essential elements to growing crops.Allen Spray of Willard Agri Service and grower Bryant Lowe of Lakeside Farms in Delaware recently walked the halls of Congress, meeting with elected officials, their staff and Non-Governmental Organizations, to outline the importance of having sufficient tools to grow crops.  They emphasized the Four R Program for fertilizer use – the right rate, source, placement and timing.“It takes us as average everyday citizens to make the country what you want it to be, you have to get involved,” Spray said.Both Spray and Lowe said the trip was worthwhile, with excellent dialogue. They mentioned following up with all parties in Washington, D.C. and being a future information source for them are critically important.

Nitrogen has long been the engine that has propelled agriculture to productive new heights. It sparked an agricultural revolution, benefitting farmers and helping feed the world.While nitrogen has many positives, concerns have been raised regarding overreliance and in environmental areas. Dr. Hugh Gorman of Michigan Tech is among those closely watching this situation. Gorman said the process of producing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen is one of the great advancements in American history. He said he's optimistic rewarding sustainable practices will help alleviate current areas of concern.Gorman authored the book, “The Story of N: A Social History of the Nitrogen Cycle and the Challenge of Sustainability.”New technologies, including those at Redox, are poised to help growers optimize nitrogen use in the future. 

For many growers, crop nutrition has advanced beyond the traditional NPK strategy of old.ValleyAg Consulting Services owner Tracy Miller works with farmers in California's San Joaquin Valley to get the best results through the latest nutrition choices. Miller said some of the most promising crop nutrition includes micronutrients like boron, cobalt and molybdenum.He's also a big proponent of bio-stimulants, including from Redox Bio-Nutrients.“They're almost mainstream already,” he remarked. “There's a lot of use of them, at least with the growers I work with. I think that there is a real role that they are going to continue to provide versus traditional inputs. We're probably going to have less chemical controls going forward, and we're going to have to have tools that can boost the plant's metabolism and immune system. This will enable us to overcome some of the pest challenges we have right now, specifically disease issues.”

As owner of ValleyAg Consulting Services since 2010, Tracy Miller works with growers in California's San Joaquin Valley. His agricultural pedigree is long and impressive. Although he grew up on a family farm and helped his father's cling peach operation at a young age, his future career course wasn't cemented until he helped his mother tend to their family garden.“Every morning, I would wake up and run out to the garden, to check to see if anything happened,” Miller said. “It was probably about a week later that you would start to see the ground break and the plant would start to push up.  That was so fascinating to me, that here's this little seed that appeared dead and dry. There was life in it, and it burst forth…It was a real opportunity to see a crop from start to finish… it began to make me fascinated with how plants grow. It's really a miracle of life.”Miller is a proponent of growing strategies that improve soil health, provide strong plants and improved returns for growers. He's bullish on new technology, including micronutrients and bio-stimulants, to help get there.

Trey Bouler fulfilled a longtime dream when he was named superintendent of a golf course. No doubt, work was needed at the Beau Pre Country Club in Natchez, Mississippi, although he has been more than up to the task.The Beau Pre course is a beautiful one, but it struggled with multiple issues, including algae, encroachment and nematodes. Enter Redox TurfRx™, including OxyCal™ to bolster calcium, NatureCur™ for root development, Supreme™ to help turf growth and K+™ for summer stress. “I was very excited how fast I started seeing turnaround, which drew me in even more to Redox,” Bouler said. “It has been awesome.” He said his TurfRx™ experience confirms his approach to not skimp on fertilizer expenses.“We make our money in the golf course industry on our greens,” Bouler said. “That is not a place to skimp, at all. I'm a firm believer in the best nutrients possible for my budget. If I have to back off on something else, something else is going to be backed off on. I will not compromise on nutrition for my putting surfaces.”

Resilience is part of the DNA in agriculture, but there's a massive difference when the adversity being faced is away from the farm and involves a loved one.Grower James Rickert and his wife Casey faced such adversity when their young daughter Emersyn contracted Hemolytic-uremic syndrome caused by E.coli.Earlier this year, Emersyn battled through a multi system shutdown, kidney failure, coma, seizures, neurological complications, a collapsed lung and multiple infections.After 10 weeks in the hospital, Emersyn is home and vastly improved.  She started her first day in kindergarten and even had a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Rickert family hopes Emersyn's courage will inspire others facing huge life challenges.“She's my hero, and I don't know how she does what she does every day,” Casey said. “She's still processing the trauma in her own way. Nothing phases this kid. She is defying the odds after what she went through.”“I look at life differently,” James said. “I realize that every day with my family is special. I have never appreciated it as much as I do today.”Emersyn continues her recovery and recently made a Gingerbread house with a horse on top. She also put her Christmas request in to Santa Claus for a tiny dog.

The rural-urban divide in our country continues to widen. Mike Twining of Willard Agri-Service, one of our great ag retailers, is working hard to help bridge the gap between farmers and consumers. Twining was among the speakers at TedX Talks in Arizona and Philadelphia. His speeches presented a compelling case for smarter food buying decisions and a continuation of sustainable agriculture, meaning doing more with less. He said his work in this area has been very encouraging.“It has been really exciting to see the engagement I've had,” Twining remarked. “It's such a neat opportunity to get outside of my normal obit and talk to people, who are sometimes two or three plus generations removed from the farm. ... It has been really gratifying to see how excited they get to actually learn about it and talk with someone still involved in agriculture. I think the vast majority of people are genuinely curious and generally think positively about farmers and agriculture. That has certainly been my experience.” Find out more about Mike's talks on the TedX YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDxTalksMore from Mike:Saving the Planet With Your FoodEating Our Way to a Cleaner Planet

The start of summer 2025 will mark the end of Michael Parrella's near decade as dean of the University of Idaho's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Parrella also spent nearly 30 years as a key agricultural figure in California at UC Davis and UC Riverside.As retirement nears, Parrella said he's optimistic that research at the university level and through Redox and others in the private sector will help growers do more with less.“Ultimately what we really want to do is grow a healthy plant and use less traditional fertilizer,” Parrella said. “Less nitrogen and less potassium. I think the work with micronutrients is going to enable us to do that. That's a huge part of dealing with sustainability of agriculture and healthy soils moving forward.”He said he'd like his time at the University of Idaho to be remembered for two primary areas: hiring the best early career faculty possible, supporting the existing faculty and having updated facilities for them to carry out effective work. 

As their farm entered a rough patch, fourth generation orchardist Kaitlyn Thornton in Tonasket, Washington, ventured into social media to reach a larger audience.Her engaging approach has elevated her into a popular agricultural influencer, who now regularly reaches millions of people with photos and videos of their apple and pear harvests, cultural practices and everyday farm life. As the average farm operator continues to get older, Thornton said there are many opportunities for Gen Z to contribute. She said her generation has the knowledge and interest in helping, but many lack self-confidence and need a boost from the older generations.You can follow Kaitlyn at Apple Girl Kait on Instagram and TikTok and Kaitlyn Thornton on LinkedIn.

Potassium is one of the most used crop inputs. Redox Lead Agronomist John Kelly says it also represents a key opportunity for growers to improve their bottom line.“I often feel like of all of the macronutrients, potassium is the one nutrient that represents opportunities in crops,” he said. “In other words, better potassium nutrition can enhance yield and quality.”Potassium regulates water and nutrient uptake, and movement within the plant. It also plays a key role in plant charge balance.  The plant must balance itself electrically, with an equal amount of negatively and positively charged elements. Potassium is responsible for about 80 percent of the positive charge. When it's out of balance, the plant must allocate excessive resources, excessive energy in getting back into balance. In the process of doing that, yield and quality potential are diminished.Kelly said applying more potassium isn't always the best solution in growing crops.Early season crop growth, during the cell wall formation stage, an oversupply of potassium can effectively block other positively charged elements, from being taken up in the plant, harming crop quality.Kelly said improving soil health is a crucial ingredient in crop performance, and inputs and practices can improve it very quickly. He said more growers are taking positive steps in this direction. “We're seeing less about just throwing pounds out without any regard for timing or input, and targeting input and performance,” Kelly said. “When it comes to potassium, you can really up the performance potential of those crops.”

N, P and K are standard inputs on farms across the U.S., but new scientific understandings can make a huge difference their efficient use. Phosphorus is fundamental to everything in the plant. It facilitates the transfer of sunlight energy to chemical energy that leads to plant growth.A lot of phosphorus applied in fields gets tied up and never makes it to the plant.  This inefficiency is a growing concern on efficiency and environmental fronts. Redox Lead Agronomist John Kelly said Rootex™ provides an excellent source of phosphorus with biostimulants. The combination stimulates lateral root branching and increases specialized proteins in the root system, which promote drought stress tolerance. Kelly said Redox technology brings efficiency and helps farm profitability.  “While it's great to understand the technology, the thing that gets me most excited is the consistency of these benefits across crops and professional turf grass,” he said. “The efficiency is there, and the consistency of performance is there.” 

Many growers seeking success for the long term continually look for the best technology, including plant nutrition. Bio-stimulants are a promising frontier for many, and greater scientific understanding of what they can do is helping the process. Distinguished professor Dr. Patrick Brown of UC Davis is one of the world's foremost bio-stimulant experts. He's the chair of this year's Biostimulants World Congress, and said greater understanding of specific biostimulant benefits is crucial to their adoption. He said many bio-stimulant products have been sold with broad statements, which won't be sufficient moving forward. “I think there's an innate recognition and interest amongst farmers that a more biological approach would be useful, and at least a hope, if not yet a belief, that bio-stimulants might be part of that solution,” Brown said. 

Used advanced data for agronomic decisions continues to gain ground, especially as margins tighten for many crops.Vice President of Product Trials for Total Acre, Brian Mattix, facilitates trials with participating growers to determine the best path to increasing their return on investment.He said analytics can be a huge component to maximizing a grower's returns.“Data is invaluable if it is accurate and it focuses on fixing the right problems,” Mattix said. “You're not going to fix all of the problems, so you've just got to work on fixing the right problems and having a good plan to address those problems.”Redox has more than a dozen trials with Midwest growers with our pathway sequential program, including Mainstay Si™, RDX-N™ and Banx™.Mattix said too much data analysis may lead to fixing the symptoms, instead of trying to put plans together by studying good trend analysis and getting in front of the problem moving forward. 

Agriculture will play a fundamental role to help ensure good health for future generations. Scientific advancements are key to more nutritious food that is grown in an environmentally and economically sustainable way.Dr. Debatosh Das recently joined the Redox team, and he is diving deeper into helping unlock the full potential of our premium plant nutrition and carefully sourced biostimulants.  He said plant charge balance, or Redox Homeostasis, is at the very foundation of productive farms.“Balancing the charge in plants helps them avoid expending energy on maintaining charge homeostasis,” Das stated. “When nutrients are supplied in the correct ratios, the plant doesn't need to divert energy to correct charge imbalances. Instead, that energy can be used more efficiently for growth, development, and ultimately increasing yield.”Redox products are specially formulated to help with plant charge balance. Das said new, more exciting discoveries appear on the horizon, as he continues to help Redox Bio-Nutrients fulfill its vision of being the catalyst for change, by redefining agronomic standards with the best verified solutions. 

As harvest season largely winds down, it's time to give strong consideration to steps that will aid your crops next year.Proper nutrition is a great way to add carbohydrates to your trees and vines, which provide many benefits."A lot of the reproductive growth for next year occurred during those stressful months,” remarked Redox lead agronomist John Kelly. “There's a high probability that many of the orchards did not have the energy necessary for adequate bud differentiation. What that means is that many of the orchards did not have the energy necessary for adequate bud differentiation. What that means is it's all that much more important that we give that plant a lot of stored energy for next spring to protect what it will produce, because there's a probability that the heat from this summer means lower set next spring. We need as much energy as possible to maintain that crop.”Kelly and Redox Sales Manager Jared Sanner agree Banx™ is an excellent choice to boost trees and vines following harvest, as it provides an effective nutrition boost from potassium, phosphorus, zinc and boron, as well as excellent abiotic stress defense. 

Potatoes are in the upper echelon in importance to the world's diet, yet many have little idea of what it takes to get them from farm to French fry. Dustin Begovich intends to change that. The Idaho Studio filmmaker is nearly complete capturing two years' worth of footage, and he soon shift to editing the interviews and activity. The documentary film, SPUDS, should have its first airings in 2025, and Redox is a sponsor. “It is important that I'm reaching the consumer at their level and walking alongside them,” he said. “I want to bring them into agriculture and farming and help them understand it from more of a layperson's perspective. … As much as this is a large project for the industry to make sure that their story is out there, it's coming from a perspective of your average person that's never thought ‘where the heck did that potato come from?' Find out more about Dustin's film and follow how it progresses at https://spudsmovie.com. 

Farmers are the key link in keeping bountiful, affordable food to feed the world. There are many others that help growers do their work, including ag retailers.“If you just look at the top 100 ag retailers, as far as the biggest ones in the country, the last couple of years, it has been over $40 billion worth of products and services that have been provided to farmers,” remarked Daren Coppock, CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association. “It's a significant contribution, and essential to raising the food that we need in the country and around the world.”Coppock has led the ARA since 2009, and said every aspect of agriculture, including retailers, continues to evolve and become more complex. New areas include artificial intelligence and the rise of biological products, including biostimulants. He said the ag retail industry has a lot of optimism for the future, although areas to watch incudes impacts the interest rate environment and a lack of sufficient labor. 

American agriculture not only has a wide range of crops and growing methods, there are also a wide variety of backgrounds among the farming community.One case in point is Tommy McMurren of Five Patriots Farms in Illinois, a farmer, veteran, crop consultant and ag history afficionado whose Instagram page, tattooed agronomist, reflects another of his passions.A common thread among those in agriculture is a dedication to getting the best results in the field, by growing their knowledge of new technologies, including in crop nutrition.“We have evolved,” McMurren said. “When I first started working with clients, it was the very basics. Here's our chemical program. Here's our fertility program. Working with companies like Redox, I do have people that are more open to looking outside the box, that we need to be doing something different. We have stagnated. Even if it's not a monetary thing, it's more of just a preservation of the farm.”

Third party research is crucial to making sure agricultural inputs work as advertised, and David Holden has been a trusted evaluator for many companies, including ours.Holden Research and Consulting in Ventura County has worked with more than 100 crops, ranging from avocados to zucchini.Holden has carried out at least 750 biostimulant-type trials in the last 20 years. He said biostmulants hold promise in fighting abiotic stress, in particular.“I have quite often seen a reduction in the effect of various diseases, mites and insects when you use some of these products,” he said. “In other words, healthier plants are happier plants, and they live under stress situations better.”Holden said his research helps show how biostimulants work, but growers would be interested in knowing why they are working. He said better answers to those questions would entice more farmers to try this newer technology. 

Thirty years in business is no easy feat. It was in 1994 that Redox started in business and speaker, podcaster and author Damian Mason branched out with independent work.Damian travels across the U.S. for keynote addresses to agricultural groups and hosts three podcasts, including The Business of Agriculture. He provides insight and commentary on critical subjects in a way that few others can.He said he expects an increasing call for reducing overall synthetic nitrogen in agriculture, a reduction in acreage in future years based on which ground is best suited for farming, more of a premium paid for better-tasting food and the likelihood of reduced food demand from China based on expectations their population will plummet within the next years.As for any anxiety over a potential drop in farm income, he pointed out that the recent track record for growers has been excellent. “I think the mode is a little doomy and gloomy that perhaps is warranted,” he remarked. “Here we are in the first year of a downturn. It's good to keep in mind that the three years prior to this were the highest agricultural income years in the history of the United States of America.”Find out more about Damian at DamianMason.com.

Growing up on a farm helped Ben Jauregui form his deep appreciation for agriculture, and it shows in his work.As a Pest Control Advisor working at AgRx, one of our ag retailers, Ben guides decisions for about 1,800 acres of crops on California's Central Coast, with strawberries commanding the greatest acreage.“The most important thing is trust,” he said. “Carrying that relationship with the growers to where they can trust you, especially with the decisions that we're making every week. There's a lot of money at stake.”Every weekday, Ben starts his day at 6:30 am.  With the help of a co-worker, they walk every acre, every week. They write recommendations, and after a spray or if they find an area of concern, they will return and review that crop within three to four days.Ben is active on social media, as he wants to show off crops and many longtime farmers. He's on Instagram and LinkedIn at #BenNPK.

From the small town of Pauanui, New Zealand, to Gonzales, Louisiana, is 8,000 air miles and a world of difference. That's the trek Mike “Kiwi” Robinson made as a young adult, and he's now running the highly regarded Pelican Point Golf Club in the Bayou State. Louisiana summers usually come with heat and tremendous humidity, so Mike has countered with well thought out plant nutrition from the Redox TurfRx™ line, with a variety of products as stables, including K+, NatureCur, C-85, Supreme™, and CA. He said Redox not only helps keep his course in great shape, it has taken a significant amount of his stress away.“Apart from having healthy turf, the biggest thing I get from using Redox is my stress levels are down,” he remarked. 

California is a world leader in strawberry production, growing $3 billion of the fruit annually. Getting the most out of the crop was the focus of the annual Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Strawberry Center Field Day.Areas covered included non-chemical pest and disease solutions such as bug vacuums and the use of UV-C light for disease suppression. A myriad of other issues were addressed, including workplace efficiency and safety, as well as mechanical ag plastic removal and recycling.“The thing that impresses me the most is the variety of innovative products,” remarked Leo Stoeckle, a longtime strawberry industry official. “Everything from fertility products to ag chemicals to disease control to strawberry genetic resistance. We get the whole gamut here.”The Cal Poly Strawberry Center recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is operated in partnership with the California Strawberry Commission.

Agricultural research is the cornerstone of productive farms and abundant food. The investment Redox Bio-Nutrients has made continues to grow and pay dividends.“The is really a banner year for Redox,” said Head of Research, Dr. Gifford Gillette. He said the addition of Dr. Debatosh Das to the team and a second year for Faith Talley, who started as an intern and now works with the research team on carrying over protocols and adding new ones.The understanding of and benefits from biostimulants continue to grow, leading to rising optimism about the ability for this technology to help growers.“Dr. Das has put together a 56 biostimulant mode of action checklist,” Gillette said. “We probably never will measure all 56 of the modes of action, but they're all on our radar. This matches well with what we know about the science of biostimulants in agriculture and what they do for crops.”The global biostimulant market has seen rapid growth, with estimates that the value of sales may triple within the next decade.

Margins for farmers are tight, so there's more emphasis than ever on finding innovative new ways to innovate and stay in the black.Dave Handsaker is with AGNETWORX in Iowa, which helps efficiently connect farmers to new technology and better understand its effectiveness.He said, with corn and soybean prices down, growers are especially interested in increased efficiencies and maximizing production wherever possible.Matt Rohlik with ARVA Intelligence helps boost revenue for growers, by making them aware of incentives available from consumer-packaged goods companies to help sustainability through agronomic practices, including reducing commercial or synthetic inputs, split applying nitrogen, foliar feeding, tillage, cover crops and biologicals.Shane Forney with Sentinel Fertigation helps growers maximize efficiency by leveraging satellite imagery to help growers improve nitrogen recommendations throughout the growing season, all done without a negative impact on yields. Handsaker, Rohlik, and Forney were among the speakers at the Farmer Innovation Forum in Omaha, presented by Redox.

Hawk's Ridge Golf Course in Ball Ground, Georgia, has many rave reviews, and for good reason. However, maintaining the course isn't easy.The hot, humid climate is a challenge, but course superintendent James Rauhuff and his team do excellent work. Rauhuff credits Redox TurfRx™ as a key part of his success. In fact, his course greens actually aged in reverse since improvements were made to their nutrition program.“I firmly believe one of the main reasons was due to the Redox line of products,” Rauhuff said. “The way those products perform is superior to anything else that I have used. Combining Redox products, optimum soil chemistry, root growth and health, and an ideal air to water relationship has provided the soil microorganisms a conducive growing environment which I believe has helped reverse the aging of our greens.”The par 72 course was designed by Bob Cupp and has plenty of beautiful features, including a centerpiece waterfall on hole 15.If you play a round at Hawk's Ridge, keep an eye out for Ziva and Duke, James's German Shepherds that are so loved that members now carry treats in their golf bags to give to them as they're on the course.

The Midwest is a powerhouse in food production, with more than 127 million acres of crops. Corn and soybeans are by far the largest acreage in the region.Buoyed by our 30-year track record in other larger agricultural regions, we have expanded our reach into America's Heartland, providing flagship and new technology to help corn and soybean crops thrive. The first new growers introduced to Redox are enthusiastic about this promising technology.“I'm really excited looking ahead, of gaining a greater relationship and partnership,” said Kurt Grimm of Precision Farms and NutraDrip Irrigation in Kansas. “This will help us better understand where the products fit, how to use them, and ultimately how we can do things better for our growers – not only for our own farm, but for the growers we work with. Understanding that it's not about pounds per acre, it's about the balance and the energy of getting the nutrients into the plant.”In addition to introducing Banx™ and Mainstay™ Si to a broader audience, the Midwest Pathway™ Program includes our exciting new nitrogen optimization product, RDX-N. 

Agriculture is fundamental to all, yet precious few understand all that it takes to get food from farm to fork.Dustin Begovich is on a mission to boost ag literacy in an engaging way.  As head of Idaho Studio, he has embarked on a year-long project to make a full-length documentary movie. SPUDS will chronicle the 2024 potato season, from planting through harvest, covering many aspects of the industry.Begovich said, in order to have an effective movie, it needs to entertain as well as inform.“I'm doing anything to make it entertaining,” he said. “Luckily, this is a very conversational type of interview film, so people do bring out their personalities, and I'm finding unique ways to show how the industry works without making it drone on. Fun is the goal.”Redox is excited to be the exclusive fertilizer sponsor of SPUDS, and we keep you posted on progress.  Grower Blake Matthews of Oakley, Idaho, whose farm is powered by Redox, will be featured in the movie.Find out more at spudsmovie.com.

The West is in the middle of a record-shattering hot spell, fueling concern that crops and turfgrass could be harmed.Fortunately, there are ways growers and golf course superintendents can help this situation.Redox Bio-Nutrients has an array of technology to help plants through abiotic stress events such as excessive heat.Redox Chief Agronomic Officer Jared Sannar says products that can help plants better withstand prolonged hot spells include diKaP, Oxycom Calcium and H-85. This technology aids abiotic stress defense, keeps the plant hydrated, aids in water retention in the soil profile and stimulates root growth. Redox Turf Rx Sales Manager Todd Scott says K+ is a popular and effective choice by superintendents to help combat heat impacts on their courses.Scott says it's helpful to understand the basic agronomic principal of achieving Redox homeostasis, or plant charge balance, which is a foundational part of keeping plants at their productive best.

From humble beginnings on a Georgia farm, Donnie Cochran has soared to heights few have experienced.Cochran broke historic barriers as the first African American pilot in the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, as well as the first African-Americana Commanding Officer and Squadron Leader.The Blue Angels showcase patriotism and incredible skill as they perform shows far and wide. Their coordinated maneuvers reached speeds of more than 400 miles per hour, with as little as 18 inches between each aircraft.Aviation and farming are his two passions, and he's heartily pursuing the later through building up the farm he grew up as one of 12 children. Cochran is working with Ag Nutrients, powered by Redox Bio-Nutrients, for nutrition for his young pecan orchard. He said he learned many important lessons while serving America and said three critical attributes for success in life are ACE, attitude, character, and enthusiasm. Cochran's book, Glad to Be Here, chronicles his amazing journey, as well as inspirational insight into making the most of your life. Glad to Be Here represents the motto of the Blue Angels and is available at Amazon.com. 

California is a powerhouse for strawberry production, growing about 85 percent of the U.S. crop. Berries are susceptible to insect and disease pressure, and that's where the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Strawberry Center comes into play.“Pathology, entomology, and innovation – those are the three areas of emphasis for us,” said Gerald Holmes, who has served as center director since its inception in 2014. The Strawberry Center is a partnership between Cal Poly and the California Strawberry Commission, with the goal of increasing the sustainability of the industry through research and education. The Center's annual field day will be held August 8, when hundreds will gather to get the latest on research projects, including the battle against harmful insects and soil-borne pathogens. You can find more information on the center at strawberry.calpoly.edu 

The best sustained success in agriculture happens with a healthy growing environment. The University of Idaho's new Center for Plant and Soil Health in Parma is a welcome addition to the landscape.“The new center is a much-needed advancement,” remarked Margie Watson of J.C. Watson, an onion grower-packer shipper with more than a century in business. She also served as the mayor of Parma. “This brand new, wonderful facility is going to take us to another level. We have to have researchers in agriculture, with this changing world, and they have to have facilities to go and do the research.”“I see evidence that the work we do really does impact the industry,” said Mike Thornton, Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Idaho. “I see it on a small level with individual growers, but also on a larger scale. For example, our onion industry has adopted drip irrigation over the last decade and a half. … To see that rapid adoption tells me that we're really making an impact.”“The key part is that my knowledge helps the grower and all of our producers reduce the impact of crop diseases on their bottom line,” Juliet Marshall, Plant Sciences Department Head, Professor and Plant Pathologist at the University of Idaho. “{It's an economic and a food safety issue.”Thornton and Marshall said research conducted in Idaho can also assist growers elsewhere in the U.S.The $12.1 million dollar facility encompasses 9,600 square feet and is a welcome addition to the small town of Parma, where the University of Idaho has had a research presence since 1922.