Business excellence award 2021
Cio Bulletin
Every day, the food we eat connects us to a vast global web of farmers, traders, food manufacturers, retailers and many other people involved in getting food from farm to fork. Most of us probably don’t pause to think about it while biting into a piece of fruit or a slice of bread, but this global food system is central to some of the biggest challenges facing humanity. However, food production is only one aspect of the food system. The agro-food sector also provides a livelihood for millions of people. Globally, most of the people living in extreme poverty are in rural areas where food production is often the most important economic activity. There are an estimated 570 million farms worldwide today, and millions of other people work in food-related jobs. Growers around the globe are facing increasing costs, the need for greater productivity and the demand for more sustainable agricultural practices. Agricen's innovative biocatalyst products help meet these challenges by improving the availability and uptake of a broad range of nutrients from fertilizers and soil nutrient sources. By incorporating Agricen’s products into their plant nutrition programs, growers can improve nutrient use efficiency, boost plant performance and increase their yields economically and sustainably. Agricen’s products for agriculture are available under the Accomplish® LM, Extract PBA and Titan® XC brands available from Loveland Products through Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Agricen's plant health technology is also used throughout the turf and ornamental plant market, helping turf managers, nursery operators, and landscape professionals get the most out of fertilizer programs by sustainably improving plant health, quality and performance. Accomplish® LM and Titan® XC can be used in turf and ornamental programs to improve nutrient availability and uptake and to enhance plant quality and performance. Additional turf and ornamental brands include SoilLife™ and NutriLife. In the late 1950s, Texas farmer Bob Pedigo pioneered the original product technology, launching products with applications in plant nutrition and soil and water remediation.
Advent and growth of Agricen's plant health technology
In 1998, Mr. Pedigo licensed his processes, formulations and worldwide commercial rights to Agricen, and then called Advanced Microbial Solutions (AMS). Since that time, the Company has been dedicated to providing the agricultural and turf/ornamental markets with practical plant health and nutrition product technologies derived from the diverse biological and biochemical content of Mr. Pedigo’s original products. Today, Agricen is a leader in the delivery of biochemical, biostimulant and biological technologies that enhance plant health and nutrition to provide growers with the tools they need to increase productivity and sustainability. The company is also devoted to the research, development and commercialization of novel microbial and biochemical solutions for agriculture, turf and related industries. In 2016, Agricen announced the opening of Agricen Australia, which is producing sustainable fertilizer biocatalyst products for distribution in the Australian market through Loveland Agri Products and Nutrien Ag Solutions.
Products for Agriculture
Agricen’s products for agriculture are designed to make existing plant nutrition practices more efficient and sustainable. MARITIME, available from Loveland Products/Nutrien Ag Solutions, is a highly soluble solution of biologically extracted kelp that can be used by growers to augment a balanced crop nutrition system. MARITIME’s biological and biochemical profile is unlike any other available kelp product on the market today. MARITIME may improve both soil and plant health by stimulating soil microbiota, improving plant growth and reducing crop stress for better crop quality and yield. NutriLife is a fertilizer biocatalyst that enhances fertilizer efficiency and improves the performance of turf and ornamental plants. It is specifically formulated for impregnation on dry fertilizer blends. NutriLife improves the conversion of applied fertilizers and soil nutrients into plant-available forms. This helps turf and ornamental specialists–from golf course superintendents and sports turf managers to professional lawn care operators–get the most out of their fertility programs by improving fertilizer efficiency, reducing plant stress and helping to minimize nutrient runoff and leaching. SoilLife is a fertilizer biocatalyst that enhances fertilizer efficiency and improves the performance of turf and ornamental plants. It is specifically formulated for use with liquid fertilizers, manures and other broadcast applications. SoilLife helps turf and ornamental professionals get more out of their applied liquid fertilizers by increasing nutrient availability and promoting better root growth and development. By converting organic nutrients into inorganic forms, SoilLife makes nutrients more available for plant uptake and utilization, helping to optimize plant performance.
Meet the leader behind the success of Agricen
Michael Totora is the President and CEO of Agricen. Michael Totora brings innovative solutions to market through pragmatic applications that drive value for growers. Under his stewardship, Agricen has emerged as a market leader in the delivery of applied, biochemical-based solutions for efficient and sustainable plant nutrition.
“We help growers meet the demands of modern agriculture by providing effective tools that increase nutrient availability and uptake, improve sustainability and optimize yield potential.”