LAKELAND, TENN. (RFD News) — Producers from across the country are gearing up for the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, where a new attraction will give farmers an opportunity to see crop technologies in real-world field conditions.
The Agronomy Zone is making its debut at this year’s show, with Huma among the 12 inaugural members participating in the new area.
Fred Nichols, chief sales and marketing officer for Huma, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to share how the company was approached by Farm Progress about becoming part of the Agronomy Zone over the winter.
For Huma, it marks the company’s first time attending the Farm Progress Show in its 53-year history.
Nichols noted that a third-party agronomist manages the plots. Participating companies recommend what they want to test, while the agronomist handles the farming.
The zone will also feature tours led by the Hefty Brothers.
Nichols says the Agronomy Zone gives companies space to establish crop plots and demonstrate their products, and Huma is excited for the opportunity to showcase its products directly to farmers.
“We’re very excited to really see our products in action in real-world conditions,” Nichols said.
Turning the Agronomy Zone Into a Carbon Zone
Huma plans to use its space in the Agronomy Zone to highlight its carbon-based technology.
Nichols says the company’s products are built around humates, which he describes as a carbon-rich substance. Huma will showcase its macros, micros and crop protection products alongside grower-standard programs that rely more heavily on salt-based synthetic products.
The side-by-side comparisons are intended to allow growers to see the differences for themselves.
Nichols says the plots will also include popcorn grown by one of Huma’s producers in Iowa. The producer uses Huma products as part of a regenerative agriculture system and sells the popcorn in Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska.
Looking Beyond the “Eyeball Method”
Nichols says Huma will also use soil and tissue testing to demonstrate performance beyond what growers can see by simply looking at the crops.
The company recently conducted Haney soil tests, which Nichols says examine soil and microbial populations.
According to Nichols, samples comparing areas using Huma products with areas using synthetic products showed microbial populations increasing by two times.
The company also plans to conduct tissue sampling during the Farm Progress Show.
Nichols says Huma will have kits available that can show within about an hour how much of its product is getting into plant leaves.
The testing will give farmers and media attending the show another way to evaluate the products beyond visual comparisons in the field.
Connecting With Farmers
Nichols says he is looking forward to meeting with farmers and discussing what they see in the Agronomy Zone.
With the new attraction providing a dedicated space for crop plots and comparisons, Huma hopes growers can see its products working under field conditions and explore different approaches to crop production.
The Farm Progress Show kicks off in Boone, Iowa, tomorrow.
LEARN MORE: www.huma.us
