LAKELAND, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — As interest in soil health continues to grow, farmers are looking for ways to improve and enrich their soil. One time-tested product gaining attention is humates, or humic acid.
Fred Nichols, chief sales and marketing officer with Huma, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to explain what humates are, where they come from, and how farmers can use them.
What Are Humates?
In his interview with RFD News, Nichols describes humates as “Mother Nature’s original compost.” He says they are essentially decayed plant material that underwent a unique geological process.
Instead of becoming coal, the organic material became a carbon-rich substance that can benefit soil and plants.
Different Forms and Applications
Nichols says fewer than 10 humate mines exist in North America. Huma operates two, harvesting dry humates from New Mexico and extracting liquid products from a mine in Idaho.
Humates can also be sourced from areas including North Dakota, Utah and Canada.
The products come in several forms, including granular dry humates, water-soluble formulations and liquid products. Nichols says farmers have flexibility in how they apply them, including broadcasting granular products, applying them in-furrow, banding them or using liquid side-dress applications.
Some dry humate products are screened to different sizes, while others are coated to make them more active in the soil more quickly. Nichols says humates can remain in the soil for about one to three years.
Potential Soil Health Benefits
According to Nichols, soil health is central to humates’ benefits.
He says humates provide a food source for soil microbes and can improve nutrient availability. He also says the products can promote root hair growth and root branching, while helping with water retention.
Nichols says humates can also stabilize fertilizers when applied in-furrow or as a side-dress. Over time, he says, these benefits can increase soil organic matter.
LEARN MORE: www.huma.us
