Microalgae, Microbes & Measurable Gains with Cassidy Million, VP Ag Sciences @ PhycoTerra®

What this episode delivers: a clear, field-ready look at how photosynthetically-derived microalgae feed native microbes, improve aggregation, and lift yield without overhauling your program. We separate myth from mechanism, show where microalgae fit in the regen stack, and outline how to verify results fast.

Guest: Cassidy Million, M.S. (Plant Pathology), VP of Ag Sciences at PhycoTerra®. Cassidy translates peer-reviewed biology into practical agronomy: microbial activation, carbon flow, water handling, and ROI.

Key takeaways

• Activation, not replacement: why feeding the existing microbiome outperforms sugar spikes.
• Structure gains you can see: aggregate stability, infiltration, and residue handling improve when biology is fed.
• Proof over promise: simple before/after checks (cup test, slake, root windows) + optional biomass/F:B tracking.
• Adoption playbook: when to apply, how to pair with covers & moisture, and how to avoid “boom → bust” programs.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & today’s outcomes
02:05 PhycoTerra® in one sentence (what it is / what it isn’t)
04:10 Cassidy’s path: plant pathology → soil function
05:35 Why microalgae feed the right microbes (diverse carbon, not just sugar)
08:30 Native microbe activation vs. “bugs in a jug”
10:20 Where it fits vs. composts, humics, and traditional amendments
12:30 Carbon flow → aggregation, infiltration, root access
15:10 Microbial diversity & stress tolerance (heat, salts, drought)
17:15 Field results & persistence beyond 30–60 days
20:45 Water retention, rooting pattern, and crop response
30:20 Adoption traps: impatience, no habitat, no measurement
32:00 What’s next for microalgae in regen programs
39:30 Final playbook: how to trial, track, and scale

Links

• PhycoTerra®: https://phycoterra.com/
• Rocky Mountain BioAg® (host): https://www.rockymountainbioag.com
• Subscribe on YouTube Soil Talks™ Podcast

Try this on your acres

1. Prep habitat: moist, aerated, living roots.
2. Feed biology (microalgae) → avoid sugar spikes.
3. Measure: cup test + slake + root photo (before, then 7–10 days after).
4. If two signals improve twice, scale to more acres.

Powered by: Rocky Mountain BioAg®, Biological…Beyond Organic®
#SoilTalks #RegenerativeAgriculture #SoilHealth #Microalgae #PhycoTerra #SoilBiology #Agronomy #RegenAg #WaterInfiltration #SoilStructure

Disclosure: This episode discusses third-party products in the context of biological soil function and field measurement.