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.