One of our founders, Gary Zimmer, developed a new approach to farming more than three decades ago — an approach now known as “biological farming.” Long before many understood the role of soil microbes, this new approach sought to balance multiple soil values: chemistry (where the bulk of the farm sector’s financial and intellectual investments had been made), biology (from soil microbes to earthworms to plants) and soil structure. By supporting the soil’s biology, the applied and existing soil nutrients become more plant available. In addition, the soil structure improves. Gary’s approach, which is our approach, leads to significant gains in yield and in the quality of the food and forage grown. This is the process that led us to focus on supporting soil life.

Many of the producers we work with started by embracing the full biological farming system. But a larger number have started by using just one of our blended fertilizers or soil amendments. Over time — and often quite quickly — they expanded their use of our biological agriculture products and practices, and the number of acres on which they are applied.

We’re comfortable with either starting point — full system or individual product. Both have obvious benefits — in the first year of application and in the long run.

Know the Soil

When we work directly with growers, we tend to spend a lot of time on their farms. Our sales consultants take the time to get to know the grower, the soil, and the farm’s history and goals for the upcoming season.

We prefer to start with soil samples, because each farm is unique. The difference in soils between farms and fields means different inputs are needed for optimum performance. A fertilizer blend that works for one field may not be right for a neighboring field. What we put on the soil should be determined by what’s already in the soil — that’s why the most thoughtful, informed input decisions start with a soil test.

At Midwestern BioAg, we go beyond the standard PK and pH soil tests. We conduct comprehensive secondary and trace mineral analyses to identify yield-limiting factors in the fields. These are the soil conditions that stop a plant from producing yields that match its genetic potential. A deficiency in just one trace mineral can have this effect. We use unique models, based on more than 30 years’ of data and experience, to set recommended nutrient levels.

Many growers have already done soil tests or feel comfortable with their own assessment of their lands. In those cases, we have regional blends designed for specific crops, and we can skip the testing stage.

Balanced, Quality Fertilizers

In many cases, we formulate fertilizer blends to fit specific fields and crops. More typically, we have local blends suited for regional crops and soil types.

Our high-quality fertilizers are:

• Balanced. We balance and blend the right nutrients for your soil and crops to help optimize yields and quality. We address yield-limiting factors by complementing NPK with calcium, sulfur and trace minerals. Many of our fertilizers are linked to carbon, turning them into a food source for soil life and increasing nutrient availability.
• Healthier for the soil. Our fertilizers contain high-quality materials that stimulate and support both soil microbes and plant roots.
• Available season-long. Many fertilizers give plants a quick charge for a short period; our fertilizers deliver nutrients throughout the growing season. We mix soluble nutrients with others that are available season-long, enhancing nutrient uptake and performance through the full plant growth cycle.

We offer both dry and liquid fertilizers, including starters and pop-ups to boost early season growth.

Our fertilizer blends feed soil life as they feed the plants. Supporting soil microbes initiates a food chain involving other life forms in the soil — leading to a diversity that provides a hedge against invasive pests.

Cover Crops

Midwestern BioAg has long encouraged the use of cover crops and carries a full line of cover crop seeds for all seasons and regions. Cover crops scavenge and cycle soil nutrients, reduce compaction and improve water infiltration. As they decay, they add valuable organic matter to the soil and help improve seedling establishment the following season. They also help reduce soil erosion. Our sales consultants help customers select the right cover crop for their region and cropping system, and teach them how to manage it. We can pair cover crop seeds with a field’s specific needs or the expected demands of the following season’s crop.

Tillage Practices

When working with producers, we rely on practices that support soil life. Too much tillage can do real damage to soil structure. No tillage, in some cases, can lead to compaction. As a result, we tend to favor prescriptive tillage to match individual field needs.

Rotations

We look at individual growing seasons in the context of a long-term plan to build both annual farm profitability and long-term soil health. With this in mind, we often work with growers to introduce diverse rotations into their planting schedules. In some cases, we work with them to find buyers for their crops.

Seeds

We sell a range of seed varieties, including cash crop, forage and cover crop seeds. We do this, in part, because we spend so much time on our customers’ farms that many of them asked if we could also deliver their seeds. Our consultants can match seeds with soil and farm needs, on a field-by-field basis.

One of our seed lines, WinterKing™ III alfalfa, was bred specifically for soils enhanced by Midwestern BioAg’s fertility program. Most seeds are bred to succeed on average soils — but many of the soils we work with are well above average. WinterKing III produces well on all soils, but on our high-fertility soils, it performs exceptionally well.