Redox Grows

No subject in technology garners more interest than artificial intelligence. The days of AI as futuristic science fiction are in the past. The use of AI in farming is growing, and it holds a lot of promise, according to UC Davis Professor, Isaya Kisekka.

“AI has been applied to a lot of aspects in agriculture,” Kisekka said. “For example, it’s being applied in plant breeding, robotic fruit harvesting, we apply it in irrigation and nutrient management, precision weed control, and all these things.”

Kisekka said he understands why some people have reservations with this technology, but it continues to improve and will offer a wide range of applications for growers.

“My dream would be, one day for us to have an autonomous irrigation system – an irrigation system that knows what to do, how to do it, and it can learn from what is has done.”

Federal Ag policy is complicated and crucial for growers across the country. Fortunately, there are analysts like Jim Wiesemeyer to help clarify and contextualize action from the nation’s capital.

Wiesemeyer works at Pro Farmer and has served as one of the top ag policy analysts for decades – all the way back to the Reagan and Carter Administrations. He is still going strong, providing regular updates, and speaking to growers and agricultural groups across the country.

While the Farm Bill, trade, labor, and the Presidential race command a lot of energy, Wiesemeyer said sustainability is also a key issue that’s gaining momentum.

“Agriculture is rebranding right now to be a participant at that sustainability table,” he said. “They’ve learned some lessons. I think it’s a good sign. But agriculture wants farmer sustainability, that’s called income sustainability, and I think there’s enough to go around.”

You can follow Wiesemeyer’s work at ProFarmer.Com.

U.S. growers have benefitted from better machinery, improved varieties, and hi-tech advancements. Biostimulants are an emerging frontier in growing healthy, abundant crops.

While plant biostimulants have yielded many positives, additional effort is needed to add clarity and consistency to their definition and regulation.

“We really feel confident in a lot of these products moving forward, that growers are going to have an array of new options to deal with things like drought, or challenges that they have continuing to increase their yields, and doing it cost effectively” remarked Nick Young, Environmental Program Manager at the California Department of Food and Agriculture. “It’s an exciting time. There hasn’t been a time like this in 50 years at least, where there is so much innovation happening that can benefit this industry.”

Young is among those working at the state and federal levels, including with the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO), for uniform fertilizer regulation, protecting growers and consumers, and fostering environmental stewardship.  One goal is standardized, easy to understand fertilizer labels.

At the federal level, Congress is working on a bill that would bring a more consistent regulatory approach and clear definition for plant biostimulants, which would help farmers, consumers, and regulators.  The bill is currently part of the Farm Bill package, which is sweeping legislation to help American agriculture and consumers.

As work continues to bring a more consistent definition and approach to plant biostimulants, those who utilize this technology see tangible benefits in healthy, sustainable food production.

“It’s much more of a systems approach to management to achieve consistent, sustainable and profitable gains in crop production,” said Mike Twining, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Willard Agri-Service, a longtime ag retailer working with Redox Bio-Nutrients. “That’s really where Redox shines, is having a systematic approach to help growers.”

“I believe we will look back 10 years from now and we will say the biological movement, however you want to define that, with companies like Redox and I hope Willard Agri-Service, it’s going to be like hybrid seed corn, in terms of how it transforms what we’re thinking and doing about crop production, the way we’re growing crops, and our ability to utilize plant nutrition to produce profitable yields,” Twining said.

Georgia row crop farmer Winston Rentz has a busy and productive life. The third-generation grower farms peanuts, cotton, blueberries and cattle. He and his wife, Beth, also raise three young children.

Farming is a balancing act, but Winston said he benefits from many positives- a supportive wife, hard-working father, solid labor force, and strong nutrition program for his crops, including from Redox Bio-Nutrients.

“Nutrition for our crops is definitely number one on the list,” he said. “If you don’t have good nutrition, you won’t have a good crop.”

Winston works with Ag Nutrients agronomist Clay Kolbie, and he had exceptional results with Redox products on his blueberries and peanuts. 

Walter Pritchett has done exemplary work at Hurstbourne Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky, elevating their golf course from unranked status to the top echelon of Golf Digest’s state rankings.

One of his keys to success has been a winning nutrition program for his turfgrass through Redox TurfRx technology.

“I don’t think I would still be a superintendent, if it wasn’t for the Redox programs that we’re on, and the way we’ve been able to evolve our program,” he said.

Prichett said Redox has improved everything from their soil health and root growth to less mowing and improved water use efficiency.

As leader of a highly successful business, Prichett said he’s rewarded every time his members and staff have a positive experience with his course. He said their turfgrass nutrition program is a significant part of a successful formula.

“It’s just a fertilizer right, but it has been life-changing for me,” he added.

The largest single pollination event on Earth is underway in California’s Central Valley, with billions of bees pollinating billions of almond blossoms.

It’s a critical stage for almond growing, with sunny skies and light winds beneficial to success.

“A week ago, I would have told you there was a little bit of concern, because of the wet weather we were having,” said John Rodriguez, grower rep for Mariani Nut Company. “Now that we’re on the other side of it, things are shaping up and looking pretty good.”

“This is going to be a prolonged bloom, which is good during bad weather events,” remarked Ryan Warren, farm manager at JJB Farms. “It gives the bees more opportunities to have good days. And the bud set looks good, so the amount of flowers that are going to be out there looks good too. All in all, it should be good, but it’s Mother Nature that we’re dealing with, so we’ll see.”

California has 1.6 million acres of almond orchards and produces 80 percent of the world’s supply. 

Author, speaker, farm owner, and podcaster Damian Mason logs extensive air miles, speaking to audiences across the country. A recent stop in Burley afforded him time to tour the Redox Bio-Nutrients Headquarters and research farm.

Mason came away with positive impressions after he visited with Redox CEO Darin Moon, grower Blake Matthews, and Rocky Mountain Agronomist Jared Cook.

“I like what I saw here today,” Mason said. “I like learning, and I liked seeing the behind-the-scenes stuff that happens. It’s not just sticking stuff in a jug. There’s actually the science that goes into it, which is pretty cool."

Mason said he was impressed with seeing firsthand greenhouse research projects, including exciting nitrogen efficiency breakthroughs with corn. He also was brought up to speed on turf research and scientific study of an apple orchard on company grounds. 

Mason’s trip to Burley included speaking to hundreds at a Salute to Agriculture luncheon, carried out by the Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce, with support from several local businesses.

Every year, thousands who work hard to make sure golf experience is the best it can be get together for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Show.  For the first time in nearly 40 years, the event was held in Phoenix, with thousands from throughout the U.S. and overseas on hand.

The conference and show are a great opportunity for those in the industry to ensure the industry remains strong, including making the superintendent’s job easier.

“Our members they’re on the front line” remarked GCSAA CEO, Rhett Evans. “They certainly know that, without the golf course, there is no business or game of golf. It begins with them. The pressure to be able to be more sustainable, to manage costs, and to meet the expectations of golfers is extremely high.”

This show provided an excellent opportunity for the Redox TurfRx team to meet with current and prospective customers, as well as our network of retailers.

There’s a positive feeling for the year, with a surge in golf popularity, due in part to people seeking outdoor alternatives during Covid outbreaks.

Superintendents also have plenty of success stories regarding Redox technology.

“It took me 22 years before I found Redox, so I struggled with challenges from day one,” said Dean Piller, longtime Superintendent of the Cordova Bay Golf Course in Victoria, British Columbia. “I started with a very simple program with Redox, using their Fairway product, which is a really great soluble carbon source. Then I added some PeneCal, and that really helped reduce the amount of heat stress, the soil started to work better for me, we cut back on the nitrogen so there’s much less clippings, so the whole system became easier to maintain.”

Piller said after more than a dozen years, based on the results he has seen, “we are fully committed to Redox in all of our fertility programs.”

“Once I started using Redox, it changed the dynamics of my soil greatly,” Scott Dulina, Director of Golf Course Maintenance at Champion Turf Club at St. James in Port St. Lucie, Florida. “I had poor infiltration prior to using Redox, and it has greatly helped me in my spray programs- not only in my greens, but I was able to take my greens program and expand it into further areas."

Additional attendees at the show featured in this podcast are Mory Ogata with Axxion in Japan, a key partner with Redox, and Frank LaVardera with Audubon International, who is working with golf courses far and wide to help them be as environmentally friendly as possible.

U.S. farmers have made dramatic productivity gains over the generations, which is in large part due to advancements in research.

Dr. Gifford Gillette, lead researcher at Redox Bio-Nutrients, said he expects even more scientific advancements to help growers in the coming years.

“I couldn’t be more excited for the agricultural community, in general, with the work that we’re doing,” he remarked. “I’m grateful that we have a situation at Redox that values science and puts the resources necessary to do it in a quality fashion."

2023 was a monumental year for Redox research, including 44 off site field trials, with 21 different crops in 15 states, as well as 78 trials on the research farm, greenhouse and grow in boxes, covering 24 crops.

Gillette said priorities for 2024 include more study in the promising area of improving nitrogen efficiency, as well as water use efficiency in agriculture.

Already faced with many risks that come with working in agriculture, Jake Wenger was confronted with a massive challenge. In 2021 his son, Jaden, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

The same resilience that has sustained their longtime farm family was key to Jaden’s recovery.

“Resilience is bred in who we are as farmers,” Jake said. “So many times, we take health for granted.  That was one for our family that changed in a hurry.”

Only 12 years old at the time, Jaden successfully emerged from this nightmare and has resumed normal activity. To get there, he had to endure 224 days in the hospital, 219 doses of chemotherapy, 166 blood transfusions, multiple bacterial infections, and fungal pneumonia.

Family members credit perseverance, prayer, and expert medical care for this priceless gift.

After graduation, Jaden hopes to attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where his father and grandfather, Paul, graduated. Following college, he wants to return to the family farm and continue their farming legacy.

In the meantime, Jaden said he hopes to be an inspiration to those who are suffering and in despair.

“I think I can tell my story and help people get through their challenges, and to show that there really is daylight at the end of the tunnel,” he said.