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.