Crops rely on nutrients to thrive; they fail or grow more slowly when certain nutrients are deficient.

Nitrogen is one of the top three essential plant nutrients for crop growth, along with potassium and phosphorus. It is responsible for photosynthesis and chlorophyll concentration, which supplies the green color to plants, allowing farmers to monitor crop health more quickly and easily. Vibrant deep green indicates healthy plants with a lot of chlorophyll. Yellowing (chlorosis) and light green, however, show a lack of chlorophyll and plant health issues, potentially due to a lack of nitrogen.

Our atmosphere is abundant in nitrogen — 79% of nitrogen is in the form of N2 gas. Nonetheless, this is unavailable to crops unless it is “fixed” (combined) in the form of ammonium (NH4) or nitrate (NO) ions to be used for plant development. In this sense, nitrogen is often a limiting factor for optimal crop growth, even under ideal climate and water supply conditions.

Overuse of synthetic nitrogen

Fertilizers are essential for the production of food worldwide. The invention of synthetic nitrogen at the turn of the 20th century changed how we dealt with the availability of nitrogen in soil — we no longer had to rely on the limited amount of nitrogen found naturally in soils across the world but could produce and feed it to plants. Therefore, fertilizers allow us to obtain better agricultural yields with a favorable overall impact: farmers profitably produce more on less land.

But there are some severe drawbacks. In theory, utilizing more fertilizer would not necessarily be problematic if the crops used all that was supplied. However, when we look at the ratio of nitrogen in harvested crops compared to nitrogen inputs (through fertilizers or manure), we can clearly see an unbalanced output. Our crops take up less than half of the nitrogen we apply.

Let us take a step back and explore what this data means.

The comparison between nitrogen input and output is called “nitrogen use efficiency” (NUE). The higher this number is, the better the plants are uptaking and utilizing the nutrient provided. An NUE of 80% means that the quantity of nitrogen in crops equals 80% of the nitrogen supplied as inputs, with the plants not utilizing the remaining 20% of nitrogen.

A low NUE is undesirable, as it means that very little of the nitrogen applied gets absorbed by crops, and the rest becomes a pollutant. Since 1980, global NUE has remained at a low level of 40-50%. The remaining nitrogen is waste that seeps into the natural environment, flowing off the soils and polluting rivers and lakes, disturbing ecosystems and causing biodiversity loss.

Consequences of a low NUE include:

• Groundwater pollution: Nitrates lost outside the root zone pollute groundwater.
• Eutrophication: Harmful algal growth that depletes oxygen and harms aquatic organisms.
• Nitrogen deposition: Ammonia released into the air through volatilization comes back to the surface as sulfur dioxide gas.
• Greenhouse effect: Nitrous oxide formed through denitrification is responsible for 5% global climatic change (Shoji et al., 2001).

The lack of uptake leads to the need to apply more and more nitrogen fertilizers to continue growing crops at an increasing rate to feed the ever-growing population. Farmers boost nitrogen application, prolonging the cycle while further depleting the soil and raising crop costs. This regular application increase means that it now takes significantly higher doses of nitrogen to produce the same amount of crops as in the 1960s.

Soil and plant nitrogen losses harm the ecosystem, soil fertility and plant production. Ammonia emissions cause acid rain and nitrous oxide emissions. Eutrophication — when nitrate leaches into aquifers and promotes an overgrowth of aquatic plants and algae — threatens fish populations, water quality, and human and animal health. Overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers has generated over 500 dead zones at a global level. As a result of nitrate leaching regulations, agricultural land usage has been restricted in several nations. 

Increasing yields require increased inputs, which in turn increase pollution. We seem to be closed in this continuous cycle, where many people think that additional fertilizer use for crop yields is an unquestionable trade-off. Yet, we are not limited to this compromise, and microorganisms play a key role in the emerging solution.

Soil nitrogen-fixing bacteria and nitrogen cycle

Bacteria are the only known microorganisms capable of converting nitrogen gas into the plant-available organic compound ammonia. Before commercial nitrogen fixation methods were developed, plants relied only on microorganisms to provide useable nitrogen.

Soil bacteria play a crucial role in practically all elements of nitrogen availability, supporting the formation and growth of both underground ecosystems and plants through:

• Conversion of N2 into ammonia through nitrogen fixation. These bacteria are either free-living (they live independently of other organisms) or form symbiotic associations with plants or other organisms (e.g., termites, protozoa).
• Transformation of ammonia to nitrate and of nitrate to N2 or other nitrogen gases.
• Degradation of organic matter, releasing fixed nitrogen for reuse by other organisms.

Soil bacteria are responsible for the major conversion of N2 into ammonia and subsequently into proteins in the process called nitrogen fixation (or dinitrogen fixation).

Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting relatively non-reactive atmospheric N2 into more reactive molecules (nitrates, nitrites or ammonia). These reactive forms are essential for crops, helping them thrive. Nitrogen shortage, on the other hand, stunts crop growth and healthy development.

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium, Azospirillum or Rhodobacter, manufacture a unique enzyme responsible for nitrogen fixation, which accounts for about 90% of natural nitrogen fixation on our planet.

In short, nitrogen-fixing bacteria transform atmospheric nitrogen into inorganic chemicals. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria accomplish what crops cannot themselves: they get assimilative nitrogen. Bacteria absorb it as a gas from the air and release it to the soil, typically as ammonia. It is the only viable alternative for plants since they can only ingest nitrogen from the soil as nitrogenous inorganic molecules, emphasizing the need for nitrogen fixation.

This ready-to-use nitrogen that bacteria provide to the crops is a much-needed component of chlorophyll molecules. Chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis, which converts sunlight energy into the chemical energy that plants need.

Furthermore, plants need nitrogen as a component of amino acids in order to construct proteins that function in metabolism and energy storage. A lack of nitrogen fixation causes yellowing, thinning, withering, general growth delay and decay.

Nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria ultimately provide the ground with inorganic nitrogen-containing compounds that are essential crop nutrients. Upon their death, these nitrogen-fixing bacteria release the nitrogen stored in their biomass into the soil, naturally increasing soil fertility and enabling farmers to save money on synthetic fertilizers.

“Nitrogen bacteria teach us that nature, with her sophisticated forms of the chemistry of living matter, still understands and utilizes methods, which we do not as yet know how to imitate.”

Fritz Haber, Nobel Lectures, Chemistry 1901-1921, The Synthesis of Ammonia from Its Elements

Biofertilization supports sustainable crop production

Plants benefit from biofertilization because it encourages the use of inputs containing a range of microorganisms capable of populating the rhizosphere and making nutrients more easily accessible to plant root hairs through bioavailability. Including, but not limited to, symbiotic and free-living nitrogen-fixers, biofertilizers are cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, aside from being effective alternatives to synthetic fertilizers.

Biofertilizers can help sustain agricultural productivity and fulfil the rising demand for crop products while conserving and preserving natural resources for future generations. Numerous studies throughout the world demonstrate the value of biofertilizers in boosting crop yields and improving the quality of agricultural products by:

• Enhancing soil content with nutrients and useful microorganisms.
• Promoting soil fertility and health.
• Preserving natural resources.
• Improving productivity and cost-benefit ratios to achieve better agricultural sustainability.

Alltech Crop Science, a global leader in microbial fermentation and the utilization of their metabolites, continues to research and innovate to assist farmers worldwide in moving toward more sustainable, productive and profitable crop production.

The International Society of Neurogastronomy (ISN) brings together chefs, agriculture experts and scientists to better understand the brain's influence on what we eat, why we like what we eat and how we eat. Bob Perry, ISN co-founder and chef in residence at the University of Kentucky, joins the Ag Future podcast to discuss the science of taste, community-supported agriculture and his research work aimed at supporting Kentucky farms through Ubatuba peppers, wheat varieties and rose veal.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Bob Perry hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

Tom:            Welcome to Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Join us from the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference as we explore our opportunities within agri-food, business and beyond.

                     I'm Tom Martin for the Alltech Ag Future podcast series, (and I'm) here with Bob Perry, chef in residence at the University of Kentucky, where he also conducts food system research and teaches courses on quantity food production and civic gastronomy. Bob has served as a chef in a wide variety of restaurant operations. He's a past board member of Chefs Collaborative and many other sustainable agricultural organizations and a co-founder of the International Society of Neurogastronomy.

                     Right now, he's exploring the production of paprika from Ubatuba peppers grown on Kentucky farms, and he's searching for a variety of wheat that can be grown in Kentucky for bread flour. He's consulting with the Wendell Berry Center on their rose veal project to support Kentucky farms, so lots of ground to cover on a subject that's near and dear to us all: food. Welcome, Bob.

Bob:              Thank you, Tom.

Tom:            First, some terms to understand here. What is the science of neurogastronomy?

Bob:              I'm trying to figure out how to make this short and sweet. It's basically the study of taste, but you have to differentiate between flavor and taste. Flavor is purely objective. You can measure flavors in foods, the different chemicals and aromatics that provide what you smell. Taste is created in the brain, so taste is completely subjective. You and I could eat the same thing. You love it; I hate it. Flavor-wise, it's exactly the same. The difference is in our minds whether you like it or not.

Tom:            So, it's all in our minds. What is civic gastronomy?

Bob:              Civic gastronomy, it's a class that I taught in the honors program at UK. I took ten freshmen honors (students), and each week, we prepared a meal from a community-supported agriculture share from the UK organic farm. The goal of the class was to cook every single item in the share every week. Each week, we looked at a topic in sustainable agriculture. I brought an expert on that topic to class, except instead of a lecture, the expert was our dinner guest. We all sat down at the table and had a lovely meal, and the students had to ask questions of the guest over dinner and then write a reflection paper.

Tom:            So, signing up for a CSA, or a community supported agriculture subscription, is that a good way to make that farm-to-table connection?

Bob:              That's a great way. It really is, because you're guaranteed to get something different every week, and you're not going to get food any fresher than a CSA.

Tom:            What other ways to connect with local farms can you recommend?

Bob:              Well, obviously, the farmers' market. I'm really pleased; I've been in this place about 20 years now, and it's really heartening to see more and more local products in more and more places. They pop up all over the place, especially in restaurants — which, 20 years ago, it was hard to get local food in restaurants. The infrastructure was just really not there. Now, we've done a lot for the infrastructure. We've got new meat processing plants across the state. We've got a whole lot more produce going through local wholesale channels that can get to restaurants easily.

Tom:            Now, I guess it's a marketing plus to be able to say that you are farm-to-table.

Bob:              Yeah. All the best restaurants are promoting what local foods they carry.

Tom:            The course title Quantity Food Production probably speaks for itself, but what ground do you cover in teaching this course?

Bob:              This is a capstone course for two majors at UK, for the dietetics and human nutrition students and for the hospitality management students. So, we bring those two majors together, and the students actually operate a restaurant on campus two days a week. They rotate through every possible position you could have in a restaurant, both front of the house and back of the house. We serve a three-course meal, mostly with local food, all cooked from scratch in two and a half hours. I tell people that understand restaurants, I say it's like opening a new restaurant with a new staff and a new menu every single day.

Tom:            For those of us who are here in the Lexington area, can we come and dine at that restaurant?

Bob:              I can always get a couple more people in, but you're on your own with parking at UK.

Tom:            As a chef, how does the scientific understanding of the interactions between food and psychology influence or inform the choices that you make in the kitchen?

Bob:              That's a big question. There are so many factors that go into making a plate of food. First is visual. You're always going to look at the food visually first; then, you've got the smells, (and) then you've got texture to consider. Then you've got the interplay of the different flavors to consider. What are you going to drink with that, also, whether it's wine or any other beverage?

                     There's a really interesting gentleman at Oxford, Charles Spence, at the Crossmodal Lab at Oxford. He has done hundreds of experiments playing around with food and eating. For instance, he found that dessert tastes sweeter on a blue plate than it does on a white plate. Coffee tastes less bitter in a black cup than it does in a white cup. He's played with some interesting — that's the reason for the name of his lab, Crossmodal. He's served people seafood dishes with and without sounds of the sea in their headphones to see whether they liked it more or less. So, it's a really fascinating field, and that's a large part of neurogastronomy, too.

Tom:            I'm going back to the blue plate and the black cup. Is that all in our heads?

Bob:              Yes, just strictly psychological.

Tom:            Wow. Bob, you're doing research into making paprika from Ubatuba peppers. How do these peppers differ from the sweet red pepper that's typically used to make paprika?

Bob:              Ubatuba is a sweet red pepper. Actually, it's very sweet. It's hard to describe on the radio. It's sort of a star shape with two domes. It's about the size of a half dollar, if anybody remembers what a half dollar looks like. We've been playing with this for several years. All peppers are from South America, obviously, and it takes a long growing season, so we don't get these peppers until right before frost. The first year I had them, I think I did 12 different treatments. We tried drying them whole, drying them split, with seeds, without seeds, different temperatures.

                     The method we found that worked the best was to dry the peppers (and) cut (them) in half (with the) seeds intact at less than 120 degrees so you don't cook the peppers. It takes about a week to dry them. I've got a commercial dehydrator. Then we grind them into a fine powder using a big Vitamix blender. When we did this without the seeds, my chef friends that I sampled this out to thought it was actually too sweet. It was very sweet. It's a really interesting flavor. It's kind of hard to describe. It's been a lot of fun. It's just something completely different.

Tom:            What happens if you leave the seeds in? How does that change it?

Bob:              It adds a little bit of heat. The seeds can be hot. There are a number of peppers: the shishito peppers from Japan and the Padron peppers from Spain. The Padron peppers, I call the lottery peppers because not all of them are hot, but occasionally, one will be quite hot.

Tom:            That's a great term. Is this paprika commercially available yet?

Bob:              No. We've had a hard time actually commercializing the growing of the peppers. It's a very long-season pepper, and we're not really quite warm enough here in Kentucky to really make a go of it.

Tom:            Oh, I see. I know that you're also searching for a variety of wheat that can thrive here in Kentucky. What conditions present in Kentucky are similar to those in other areas where farmers might benefit from your wheat research?

Bob:              Well, you need to look at that a different way. What grows well in Kentucky is soft red winter wheat, which is the perfect wheat for biscuits, dumplings, pies, cookies — things that you don't want to rise. Things that you want to rise, like breads, you want something that has a lot more protein. The hard white winter wheats and hard spring wheats have a lot more protein and, thus, a lot more starch and a lot more gluten. That makes a good bread. We're trying to find one that straddles both worlds, so it's really an agricultural problem first, but we're approaching it as a taste problem first.

                     Dr. David Van Sanford at UK, our wheat geneticist, grows thousands of varieties of wheat every year. His grad students come to my lab and grind the wheat into flour and bake breads and we taste them. (The) first thing we're looking for is a wheat that tastes good and makes a good bread. (In) the next step, David will work with the Halcombs down in Southern Kentucky on their farm and actually grow the wheat to see if it's — the term we use is “agronomically profitable”. Does it grow well? Does it yield well? Can the farmer make money with it? Because if the farmer can't make money with it, what's the point?

Tom:            Exactly. Well, tell us about your work with the Wendell Berry Center.

Bob:              Oh, I love the Wendell Berry Center. The folks up there are nice, and the work they do is incredible. Of course, most people know Wendell's work. I've known Wendell for 30 years or more. They had the idea of doing rose veal, which is done in other parts of the world. France has a fairly robust rose veal, and some other countries, too.

                     When they explained this to me, the way I thought about it is (that) this might be the most ecologically gentle way to produce beef possible. In the traditional beef market, the cow gives birth, the calf stays with the mama for about six months, (and) then it's weaned. Then it's fed out for another year. Then it goes to a feedlot, where it's fattened. It goes to processing, and then you get it.

                     (With) the rose veal, the difference is when you wean the calf at six months, you harvest it then. There are no feedlots. There's no carryover. You don't have to carry these calves through the winter, so you don't have to feed them. You cut your hay down. It doesn't take any more infrastructure on the farm. You're not building any more buildings. You're not building any houses. It's really just taking the calf at weaning and making a rose veal out of it. It's a lovely product.

Tom:            This is a completely different subject here, but what are some recognizable ways, some ways that we would notice that food advertisers use the science of neurogastronomy to influence our choices, to make us want to buy something?

Bob:              There's something called a structure function claim that the FDA allows food manufacturers to use. The structure function claim means you can say that your product may alleviate some condition. You're not saying it does, but you're saying it might. If you eat this cereal, it might lower your risk of heart disease. They can't prove it. No studies have ever been done. They let them get away with that.

Tom:            So, a good, solid grasp of the science of neurogastronomy, is that something that a budding professional chef wants to have in their toolkit?

Bob:              Oh, definitely. Gordon Shepherd's book that started it all, “Neurogastronomy,” is a fascinating read. Gordon really wrote the book for the layperson, so I encourage anybody that's really passionate about food to look into his book first. He explains how we develop our taste in our minds, but it's not just in your mind. Everything affects taste: your past, did you have a good experience with food, a bad experience with food. The one way we tell students so it's easy to understand is, “You ate something, and you got sick. You generally are not going to eat that food again for a long time, because even thinking of that reminds you that you got sick.” That's one way that your past affects taste. Also, maybe your grandmother made the best snickerdoodle cookies ever, and every time you have a snickerdoodle cookie, you love it because it reminds you of your grandmother.

Tom:            Interesting. Bob, I know that you've been a chef on private yachts in the Caribbean, on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, the Belle of Louisville, and in the kitchens of various other restaurants, including your own French bistro. From these experiences, what stands out in your mind as having been the most impactful on your growth and development? What really made a difference?

Bob:              I was working to build a French country inn for an investor in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it was going to be a French Provençal bistro. It's a style that I've been cooking in for a while. It's just a style that I like, and I've read everything I could get my hands on. Prior to opening this operation, I decided that if I was going to cook Provençal cuisine, I'd better go to Provence and see what it was really like.

                     In the early days of the internet — this would have been about 1997 — I went online, found a website in Provence that promoted hotels, and I put it out there. I said, “I'd like to come and work (for) anybody that would trade room and board for labor,” which was not really legal, but I got a call a couple of weeks later. This nice gentleman that owns this little, tiny hotel in Provence says, “You seem like a nice young man on the internet. When do you want to come? How long do you want to stay?” I talked to him, I think, twice on the phone. I bought a ticket. I stepped off the plane in Marseille, France, and they had a sign that said, “Chef Bob”. Pierre and his English-speaking waiter picked me up at the airport, whisked me off to this tiny little town in the French Alps called Monastère Sainte-Marie, the Monastery of St. Mary's. He and his wife owned a little hotel there.

                     The story of them is fascinating. Pierre retired. He was an electrical engineer. He retired from the French national electric company. He and his wife took over her parents' hotel that they had started right after World War II. This hotel was Picasso's favorite stop on the way to Nice in the winter. In the fall, all the artists would leave Paris (and) go to Nice for the light. If you've been to Provence in the fall, the light is really amazing. So, before the interstates (were built), it took three days to get there. The second night — this was Picasso's favorite hotel to stay in — he drew on a tablecloth a caricature of her mother and father, so they have an original Picasso of her parents.

                     Pierre's father in World War II was a Charles de Gaulle aide-de-camp. I got to meet his father. He was a very tiny man, but he was de Gaulle's right-hand man and went into exile with Charles de Gaulle; just fascinating. What I realized once I got there, in my luck — I've had this kind of luck for a lot — the chef they had at the time at the hotel had spent his three-year mandatory military training in France in the Navy stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. He spoke excellent English, which — I did not speak excellent French. So, I lived and worked in the hotel for a month straight. My wife was still teaching at Clemson at the time.

                     It struck me that the chefs over in France, they didn't have any great talent above what all the chefs I've worked with in the U.S. (had), but they had access to so much better food. The food access over there, it was really mind-blowing. We had one woman that did nothing but bring us eggs. She rotated them, and they were never refrigerated. Madame Tosh brought us goat cheese. Her family has been making goat cheese in the mountains for centuries, truly centuries. We had another man that did nothing but bring us potatoes. We had a huge potato pile in one of the basement rooms. It was things like that. All the meat came from the next town over, from a butcher shop wrapped in paper.

                     My first day there, the chef was trying to find something for this American to do. “What can I make him do?” The chef goes, “Oh, mayonnaise. Make mayonnaise.” I'm like, “Okay, that I can do.” I get the ingredients. I've got the mustard, and I've got the vinegar and shallots. I've got it all going. I'm looking for the olive oil, and I'm looking for a gallon tin can of olive oil, which is pretty much the only way I'd ever seen it commercially, and I can't find it. I'm like, “Chef, where's the oil?” He points up a high shelf around the entire circumference of the kitchen, and there are all sorts of bottles and jars filled with this deep, dark green oil. He says, “It’s everywhere.” Martine and Pierre, not only did they own the hotel; they owned an olive grove and made their own olive oil. So, it was just an amazing experience.

Tom:            What a fascinating time. That's Bob Perry, chef in residence and instructor at the University of Kentucky. Thank you so much, Bob.

Bob:              Thanks, Tom. It's a pleasure.

Tom:            For the Alltech Ag Future podcast series, I'm Tom Martin. Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

Agriculture is facing increased challenges at the crossroad of environmental awareness, sustainability and profitability. Equipping farmers to better respond to these demands is the driving principle of Alltech Crop Science through the development of biological solutions that contribute to crop productivity and protection while sustainably increasing farmers’ profitability.

The threat of ongoing climate change, along with the ever-increasing extreme weather events seen around the world, creates uncertainty and instability in crop production. Decades of poor farming practices and high levels of pollution have led to soil depletion, resulting in the loss of approximately one-third of the world’s arable land. This scenario raises alarm bells for potential devastating consequences as the global demand for food soars, threatening food security and bringing sustainable agriculture to the forefront of everyone's minds.

The great challenge facing us for the immediate future is to provide enough healthy, accessible and nutritious food for an ever-growing world population. Farmers and the food industry in general are being asked to increase food production by 70% by the year 2050.

At the same time, the most recent environmental policies and regulations are oriented toward a reduction in and limitation of synthetic fertilizers, active substances and other solutions commonly used in crop production to stimulate yields and protect plants.

The excessive use of chemical products increasingly affects soil health and nutrient availability and leads to soil degradation, the release of greenhouse gases generated by nitrous oxide, a risk of the chemical pollution of soils by nitrates and the contamination of aquifers.

Several new regulatory, governmental, social and environmental requirements imply an evolution and innovation for the agricultural sector, and it is urgent that producers adopt new solutions that revitalize our soils, lead us to the responsible management of this crucial resource and assist in securing more sustainable crop production.

Biotechnological solutions are gaining ground as an alternative to meet both current and future agricultural demands and are becoming a tool in sustainable agriculture.

Bio-solutions drivers

1. Demographic growth. The need to feed more people with fewer and better-managed resources.

2. Climate change. Equipping crops to withstand increasing extreme weather conditions.

3. Crop nutrition. Sustainably improving crop nourishment and yields.

4. Sustainability. Partnering environment stewardship with profitability.

5. Soil preservation. Supporting the soil’s ecosystem balance and nutrient availability.

Biologicals: What are we talking about?

“Biological” is a buzzword encompassing a wide range of microscopic infinite potentialities fitting into three major groups: plant growth regulators, beneficial microorganisms, and biostimulants. From their roots to the tips of their leaves, plants are surrounded by virtually billions of these tiny species, whether they be bacteria, viruses, protozoa or fungi.

Agricultural biologicals are one of the fastest-growing segments in agricultural inputs. The global biostimulants market alone was valued at $2.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $5.35 billion in 2027, with the backdrop of an estimated $10 billion biologicals market by 2025. Biosolutions research, development and application span from seed treatment and soil and plant health to post-harvest and shelf life.

Biofertilizer and biostimulant products are being used on a vast diversity of crops throughout the world, from fruits to vegetables and tree nuts, as well as row and field crops. Their use can strengthen plants, making them resistant to stress factors such as extreme temperatures (heat or cold) and water scarcity, and can boost their development and productivity.

Biological products can incorporate conventional crop treatments — complementing and even enhancing the use of chemical crop protection products — in integrated pest management (IPM) programs or can be used in a full organic agriculture-oriented program.

These biotechnology solutions help farmers reduce their fertilizer inputs and nutrient losses without reducing their soil fertility and protect the soil from physical and biological degradation. Biological products favour the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen or the solubilization of phosphorus and other nutrients in the soil, increasing their availability and uptake by plants. Microbial populations have always been a part of farming, but they’ve long been overlooked as a result of decades of poor agricultural practices. Restoring soil biology is a game-changer, bringing biologicals to the forefront of agriculture in the very near future.

Alltech Crop Science (ACS) has a long-standing history of developing crop biologicals and bringing these sustainable alternatives to the market, helping farmers increase their productivity while addressing their concerns about profitability and sustainability.

A new crop revolution is on the move

“Produce more with less” is somewhat of a catchphrase, but it translates in full to the shift in farmers’ mindsets taking place in light of the different pressures to which agricultural production are being subject.

The growing trend of sustainable agriculture, low residue levels, and support of worldwide legislation are the primary drivers leading the sector's growth.

The use of biological solutions enables farmers to stay ahead of demands for the market’s environmental sustainability, responding to the pressing demands for quality, wholesome, zero-residue crops, aligning their search for sustainable yields with environmental concerns and global climate goals.

The benefit comes from maximizing the use of natural resources such as water, light, the edaphic environment, and the genetic potential of crops, among other factors.

Key benefits of biologicals use:

• Reduces the use of chemical inputs, lowering the environmental impact of crop production
• Optimizes crop productivity and quality, promoting food security
• Enhances plant resilience and response to biotic and abiotic stresses
• Promotes soil microbiological balance, favoring the soil

Research and innovation bring farmers the solutions to respond to these great challenges, combining sustainability with profitability, respecting our common natural resources, caring for our animals and preserving the land, air and water to leave a planet full of potential for future generations.

I want to learn more.

In fewer than 100 days, the Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) will return to Lexington, Kentucky, for a collaborative exploration of the challenges and opportunities in the agri-food industry and beyond. Alltech, a global leader in animal health and nutrition, announced that their 38th annual flagship event will be held May 22-24 both in person and virtually on a first-class platform, with live-streaming and on-demand presentations available to ensure accessibility to everyone, everywhere.

Reflecting the most relevant topics impacting the agri-food industry, the key themes of the discussions held at ONE will include science, sustainability and storytelling.  

“The opportunities are abundant for the global agri-food sector to shape the future of our planet,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “We can deliver nutrition for all, while fuelling economic vitality and replenishing our Earth’s resources. The potential for impact is profound, but it requires a higher level of commitment and collaboration from every one of us. ONE is much more than a gathering; it is an invitation to step forward and share in a vision of promise for our ONE planet.”

ONE attendees will derive inspiration from keynote speakers who have unleashed the power of innovation and courageous leadership for positive impact.

Mick Ebeling, founder and CEO of Not Impossible Labs and author of “Not Impossible: The Art and Joy of Doing What Couldn’t Be Done,” will take the ONE mainstage in person, and his presentation will also be live-streamed for those joining virtually.

Ebeling was recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the Top 50 World’s Greatest Leaders. He is a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award and is listed as one of the world’s most influential creative people by The Creativity 50s. Ebeling has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation, and as a career producer and filmmaker, he harvests the power of technology and storytelling to change the world.

Presenting virtually is Paul Polman, who has been described by the Financial Times as “a standout CEO of the past decade”. As CEO of Unilever (2009-2019), he stopped reporting quarterly earnings to focus on a long-term strategy that would successfully double revenues while reducing the company’s environmental impact by half.   

Prior to joining Unilever, Polman served as CFO and vice president for the Americas at Nestlé and as president for Western Europe at Procter & Gamble. He was a member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel, which developed the Sustainable Development Goals and which he continues to champion, working with global organizations to push the 2030 development agenda.  

Paul’s new book, “Net Positive,” is a call to arms to courageous business leaders, outlining how to build net-positive companies that profit by fixing the world’s problems rather than creating them. He serves as the chair of IMAGINE — a social venture dedicated to systems change — and of the Saïd Business School. He is vice-chair of the UN Global Compact and is a B Team leader and honorary chair of the International Chamber of Commerce, which he led for two years.  

While the world-class keynote speakers at ONE will offer universally valuable insights, the subject- and species-specific tracks will explore emerging opportunities in aquaculture, beef, crop science, dairy, pig, poultry, equine, health and wellness, business, and brewing and distilling. Confirmed speakers are currently listed on the ONE website, with more to be added.   

Virtual attendees of ONE will have access to live-streamed keynotes and pre-recorded track presentations that can be viewed on-demand. For in-person attendees, the ONE experience will extend into beautiful downtown Lexington, Kentucky, with special events, dinners and tours.   

To learn more about the Alltech ONE Conference, including how to register, visit one.alltech.com. Join the conversation across social media with #AlltechONE.

Since 1985, Alltech’s annual conference has drawn leaders, innovators and changemakers within agri-food to Lexington, Kentucky. In 2020, Alltech reimagined the event in a virtual format to ensure that its ideas and inspiration could reach everyone, everywhere. Last year, the virtual event drew more than 10,000 people, including over 400 media, from 101 countries.

Following an extensive search, Alltech Crop Science has filled its newly created CEO position. Andrew Thomas has been appointed to lead the global team and further cultivate the strategic growth of Alltech Crop Science.

“We believe there is tremendous potential within global crop production to cultivate a more promising future,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “We felt it was essential to appoint a CEO to lead the charge, and we specifically sought someone with international experience, proven commercial success and a shared commitment to Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™. Andrew’s experience and passion reflect these qualities, and we are excited to welcome him to the team.”

Thomas brings to Alltech more than 30 years of global management experience in the agri-food and seed industries. Throughout his career, he has led innovation initiatives and launched various new products and businesses. Most recently, Thomas served as CEO of WISErg Corporation, a circular economy business based in Seattle, Washington, USA, that diverts waste streams to sustainable agricultural inputs.

Previously, Thomas served in executive management roles for the plant breeding and seed company Nuseed as the business successfully expanded both its geographic footprint — from its Australian base throughout the Americas, Oceania and Europe — and its pipeline of technologies and products across multiple crops.

“Alltech has a long history of providing sustainable solutions to the agriculture industry through scientific excellence and visionary innovation,” said Thomas. “I am thrilled to join the Alltech Crop Science team as we continue our commitment to helping producers optimize crop health and performance while protecting the environment.”

Supporting Thomas will be Steve Borst, vice president of Alltech Crop Science. Borst played a central role in the launch of a new partnership between Alltech Crop Science and HELM Agro in the U.S. and will continue collaborating with the HELM team to activate the commercial potential of the partnership. Borst and Thomas will work closely together with the Alltech Crop Science global team to advance a new era of sustainable growth.

Thomas currently resides in Chicago, Illinois, USA, but will transition to Alltech’s corporate headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

-Ends-

Photo download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/oeEovAoRtg-u

Pearse Lyons Distillery is harvesting their own grown grains on the Lyons family farm in Dunboyne with the help of Loughran Family Malt and Alltech Crop Science. Conor Ryan, global brand ambassador for Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, and Robert Walker, European growth officer at Alltech and CEO of Ireland-based KEENAN, join Ag Future to discuss the project and the history of Pearse Lyons Distillery.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Conor Ryan and Robert Walker hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tom:                        I’m Tom Martin, and joining us are Conor Ryan, global spirits brand ambassador for Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, and Robert Walker, European growth officer at Alltech and CEO of Ireland-based KEENAN, an Alltech agri-brand and a pioneer in the Internet of Things for the farm. We’ve invited them to tell us about the barley and oats being cultivated at the Lyons family farm in Dunboyne, a lovely country town in the county of Meath, just outside Dublin. The project marries a passion for distilling and agriculture — the crops have been treated with Alltech Crop Science products. Thanks for joining us, Ryan and Robert.

                                Conor, let’s start with you. There's quite an amazing story behind the Pearse Lyons Distillery there in Dublin. If you could, give us a bit of background on this distillery.

Conor:                      Absolutely. As you mentioned, it's called the Pearse Lyons Distillery, and it's in the middle of The Liberties in Dublin. And The Liberties area, historically, in Dublin would have been the beating heart of Irish Whiskey. It's where all the big whiskey producers were located. And when Dr. Lyons and Mrs. Lyons were looking for their location for picking their Irish distillery site, they were drawn towards St. James' Church on St. James Street.

                                Now, for many reasons, there's a big personal attachment to the St. James’ Church, which is now Pearse Lyons Distillery, because the church itself used to be the Lyons’ family church. It’s the church they used to attend. It was deconsecrated in 1964, but the first funeral Dr. Lyons was ever at was his grandfather's funeral when he was a small boy — and he subsequently realized he had nine relatives buried in the graveyard outside.

                                 Also, from that area, on Pearse Lyons’ mother’s side of the family, the Dunnes, they were all coopers in the barrel industry in Dublin, providing casks to the whiskey industry, (including) the Guinness, which is only 150 meters down the road from us. So, there were six generations of coopers (in the Lyons family) to be involved in the whiskey business in Dublin prior to Pearse Lyons getting involved in it. And now, with his passing, Mark Lyons is the seventh generation of his family to be involved in whiskey in the Dublin area. Even so much so that there’s very interesting tidbits — (including that) Pearse Lyons’ grand-aunt was actually the first female cooper ever registered in Ireland.

                                So, that was a natural site for Dr. Lyons and Mrs. Lyons to be drawn to, to put the distillery there. And through years of restoration, they’ve put the most magnificent distillery you’ve ever seen in the heart of Dublin to produce Pearse Lyons Irish Whiskey.

Tom:                        Yes. And I know that that restoration story by itself is quite a long one, quite a detailed story. Mrs. Lyons is incredibly meticulous about restoration, and the result of that meticulousness is quite evident, isn't it?

Conor:                      It’s outstanding. So, there's been a church on the site where we are for 800 years, but the church as it stands now was built in 1864. I mentioned it was deconsecrated in the mid-1900s, or 1960. So, once it was deconsecrated, it had many afterlives — pardon the pun. It was an indoor vegetable market; it was a lighting store; and then it fell into massive disrepair. So, when Dr. Lyons and Mrs. Lyons bought the church, they bought it knowing that there was a big restoration project, and they would have done it meticulously anyway. Two weeks after they purchased the church, somebody in Dublin Corporation decided to turn it into a national monument. So, what should have been an 18-month project and an 1x ended up being a four-year project and an 5x project.

                                        So, basically, to restore the church to its former glory, there was a closed quarry in France (that was) reopened to get the exact same limestone to match the building. There was a closed quarry in Wales (that was opened) to get the exact same slate to match the roof. All the windows had been bricked up, so Mrs. Lyons commissioned a company called Art Glass in Derry to put in stained glass back into the church — but instead of having an ecclesiastical theme, it’s got a brewing and distilling theme.

So, from the outside, it looks very much in keeping with the area, very much in keeping with the church, but on the inside, as the beautiful natural light comes in through (the windows), you’ve got the most magnificent framing of the brewing and distilling story told through the stained glass windows in the church, all done and all supervised by Mrs. Lyons.

Tom:                        And if our listeners want to see that, is there a place they can go to view photographs?

Conor:                      Absolutely. Log on to pearselyonsdistillery.com. It will bring you straight to our main website, and all the information needed will be there, plus plenty of pictures and links.

Tom:                        Okay. We want to focus on the barley and oats grown on the Lyons family farm there. Tell us about the importance of these particular grains in the creation of whiskey.

Conor:                     I'll jump in with the whiskey side of things, and we’ll get Robert, then, to tell us all about the magic that we have put in play with the grains out in our land in Dunboyne.

                                        So, the recipe that we’re going to be using these grains for — we planted the majority of our land with barley and then a small amount with oats. The reason for that is the traditional Irish style of whiskey is called pot still whiskey. And pot still whiskey isn’t just whiskey that’s made in a pot still — you know, that copper, bulbous still that everybody will know to look at. Pot still whiskey is a mixed mash bill that would have a minimum of 30% malted or 30% unmalted grains, plus the addition of 5% other adjunct grains. And the adjunct grains that will be traditionally used will be oats, wheat and rye — very much so, in the Dublin distilling industry, it would have been oats.

                                So, what we’re going to do is create a pot still whiskey distilled in the Pearse Lyons Distillery with grain that’s been grown on the Lyons family land with Alltech Crop Science products. Again, in keeping with the Lyons family ethos of doing everything naturally, sustainably, and tying in with our Planet of Plenty platform, we’re going to be using — in the pot still, half of our grains are going to be malted, and half of them are going to be unmalted; so, basically, (those are) raw grains.

                                So, half of them, which is the barley, is going to be malted, where you bring it to maltsters. Basically, what they do is they leave it soaked in warm water, (then) they dry it out, and all of a sudden, it’s easier to access sugars in the grain. Then, for the other half, we’re going to use raw barley straight from the field, as it was grown and as it was brought in. So, we’re going to have a 50/50-percent mash bill, and we’re going to make your traditional Dublin-style pot still, which is heavy on the unmalted grains and heavy on the oats.

Tom:                        I’m going to turn to Robert now. And Robert, if you could, give us some perspective on the significance of the company growing its own grain and how Alltech Crop Science is involved in that.

Robert:                     Great to speak, Tom. It's a very, very exciting project in that, first of all, we’re putting the Lyons (family farm) to good use. We have, around our European Bioscience Centre (in Dunboyne, Ireland), about 120 acres of land. Now, bear in mind that the European Bioscience Centre is where we do a lot of our fundamental research into animal nutrition and then, also, agronomy. So, we have a lot of research in other departments based out of that site, and then we have the site surrounded by the most beautiful land, which has been used for crop research. But more recently, we’ve now turned to this project.

                                The site is also the head office for our Alltech business in Europe. And so, we have a number of customers and other partners coming and visiting us on that site. So, it’s a really beautiful site in Pearse Lyons (Distillery in Dublin) as well. And it’s something that we’re very proud of bringing customers to.

                                 Now, when my whiskey colleague, Conor, approached me on this, we got really excited when we saw what we could do with this — meaning we can follow the crop all the way from seed, all the way through to shipping the whiskey. And what that means is that — that full traceability, that full control, means that we’re able to start with the soil.

                                So, when it comes to crop science, the Alltech Crop Science product has a huge focus on trying to drive up the organic matter in the soil to make sure we have maximum carbon in there, lots of microbes, and that the fertility of the soil is maximized and, of course, diseases are suppressed. We then go on to treat the crop with natural-based products that make sure that the crop reaches its full potential.

                                So, (we are) reducing stress (on the crop), making sure that we keep the crops as healthy as possible without the use of chemicals and, therefore, keeping disease at bay naturally. And then, ultimately, the crop we get out of it at the end is healthier, and it has the right profile for what Conor and the whiskey distillers are looking for. Bear in mind that the crop is grown as a spring crop, which means that it is higher in sugars and lower in protein, which is what you want.

                                 And then, Conor and myself and the other agronomist involved in the project, we meet regularly to talk about what nutritional profile we’re looking for and make sure that what we’re giving the distilling team is exactly what they need to make that order in whiskey.

Tom:                        I mentioned in the introduction that you’re CEO of KEENAN and you are a pioneer of the Internet of Things for the farm. I’m just wondering if any of that technology is being applied in this project.

Robert:                    In this project specifically, no. Nothing from the KEENAN side of the business, because KEENAN is purely for animal nutrition.

Tom:                       I see.

Robert:                    But what we are doing is employing a lot of the scientific breakthroughs that we've had in the Nutrigenomics Center that we have there (at Alltech headquarters) in Kentucky here on the farm.

                                So, nutrigenomics, quite simply, is where we look at the effects of nutrients on genes, and what we are able to show in Kentucky is that we can up-regulate the beneficial gene in plants and, in so doing, ensure that the plants have more resistance to disease. So, not quite Internet of Things, but it is — what we are employing there is much (more closely related to) biotech, much more biological sciences. And of course, when it comes to agri-tech, I guess the closest we come would be in accurate monitoring of the soil using drones and then, of course, soil moisture, soil analysis and the like. Unfortunately, in this project, we don’t have KEENAN involved.

Tom:                        I see that pollinator strips have been planted all around the oat and barley fields as part of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. What can you tell us about this?

Robert:                     It's a very interesting project in that Ireland has a challenge with carbon footprint. And so, there is increasingly, across the country, a drive to try and sequester as much carbon as possible.

                                So, there is quite a lot of rewilding being encouraged by the government. From that, Mrs. Lyons and the Alltech group are extremely passionate about encouraging pollinators, bees. And so, we have planted these wild strips around every field (of a) wildflower that is indigenous to Ireland. And of course, this has encouraged the growth of not only pollinators and other insects but has also established very good soil characteristics on the borders and then, also, very good water control. Ireland has a lot of rain, and of course, those pollinator strips do sometimes act as quite a good barrier and quite a good absorbent for those excessive rains that we sometimes have.

Tom:                       And what happens with these grains once they’re harvested? What is the next step in the process?

Robert:                     I’ll probably hand it over to Conor there in a short bit. We just finished harvest. And we do that in conjunction with some really good partners of ours (at) Loughran’s, who are just north of us in Dundalk — which, interestingly, is the town (where) Dr. Pearse Lyons was born. So, we do have a good connection with Loughran’s, who are established in Dundalk. And they’ve coordinated the harvest for us. And they’ve been taking in all the grains and transporting it, then, to Conor and the beverage division in Alltech. And they’ll take over from here. Maybe you want to explain that a little bit, Conor?

Conor:                     Thanks, Robbie. The reason for — Loughran’s, I suppose, in the first place was mentioned (because) Dr. Lyons was from Dundalk originally, and he actually ended up working in the Harp Brewery there after he did his master’s in brewing and distilling in the British Institute of Brewing and Distilling. And while he was up there, he worked there. He was from there, and obviously, he then went away to do other things.

                                Like, what people might not realize, coming from Dundalk and doing what he did — he was actually one of the lead engineers that designed and commissioned what we call New Middleton Distillery, (and) that was opened in 1975. Dr. Lyons was, foremost, a brewer and distiller first. It became his passion after, obviously, the Alltech company was set up. And he went back to brewing and distilling in 1999 with the opening of Lexington Brewing Co. and then started distilling over there in 2008.

                                While that was going on, Pearse Lyons also operated and put on the Alltech Brews and Foods Fair in Dublin to give people — craft brewers and distillers — a platform to meet up to show their wares. Where we used to be very much a couple of large industries only in the beverage scene, Dr. Lyons created this scenario where lots of small producers come together. And the reason I'm telling you this is because Loughran’s, when they went from their — they're a sixth-generation family farm company themselves, but their first transition to go from animal feed into beverage grains was actually (set in motion when) Dr. Lyons met James Loughran at an Alltech Brews and Foods Fair, where James said, “I’m thinking of going into the beverage side of things. I know who you are, and thank you for inviting me here. Is there any opportunity for us to do a bit of business together?”

                                And the first order that James ever sold into the beverage industry was (for) Dr. Lyons. Dr. Lyons ordered a container of his brewing grains and got them sent over to Kentucky. So, Dr. Lyons himself paved the way for us to build up this relationship with the Loughran Family Malt from Dundalk by being their first beverage customer.

                                So, what Loughran’s are going to do — (they are) very skilled in what they do — they’ve taken in our grains, (and) a portion is going to be malted, (but another) portion is going to be unmalted; it's going to be siloed separately from all other grains. So, when we go to draw off the stock for using in brewing and distilling in the distillery, it will only be the Dunboyne crops that we’re brewing and distilling with for the future, for both single-malt whiskey and pot-still whiskey.

                                I suppose this is the beautiful synergy about Dunboyne: (we are) growing the crops out there and bringing it all the way in to the Pearse Lyons Distillery. There’s no other company in the world that actually has this transparency in their story that we have. We’re growing our own grains on our own family land with our own company’s crop science products to be distilled in our own distillery. And when that whiskey is made, we will be aging this whiskey in our own Town Branch (facility); that’s our distillery in Kentucky. We’ve also got (Dueling Barrels Brewing & Distilling) in (Eastern) Kentucky, but at the moment, the aged stock is coming from Town Branch Distillery. And we will be aging our own new-make whiskey in our own X Town Branch bourbon barrels. And the very important bit of that is of course we’re doing this! Also, we’re making the wash to make our whiskey with Alltech proprietary yeast strains. So, this is why the 360-degree circle that we have going on is unduplicatable by anybody, any other drink company in the world.

Tom:                        And this is another reminder of the fact that Pearse Lyons was the ultimate entrepreneur, wasn’t he?

                                I have to ask you: barley and oats. What properties do these two grains in particular bring to the production of whiskey?

Conor:                      When you're producing whiskey, what you want to do is extract sugars from your grains. Barley is obviously the first choice for anyone distilling in this part of the world. I know, in the U.S., corn might be your mainstay, but in Ireland and Europe, barley is the first choice. It's where you get your most soluble sugars, the most accessible soluble sugars. And what you want to do is you want extract sugar from your grain, and from that sugar, you create a wort, which is basically a sweet, unhopped beer. And you distill that into your spirit. And we use very unique and very beautiful Kentucky Vendome stills in Ireland.

                                So, what properties does it give us? High sugar content. As Robert mentioned earlier on, what you're looking for is low protein and high sugar inside in your barley crop. And then, with oats, the reason for using oats — and there's natural enzymes on oats themselves that actually aid in the fermentation and gives us some beautiful, fruity esters. And also, using oats in itself gives you a viscosity and it gives you a flavor profile that's very unique to Irish Whiskey. So, on our first foray into growing the crops in Dunboyne, that's why we went with barley and oats. There are plans, as the crop cycles go along, that we might do rye, wheat and maybe some winter barley.

                                 But it was important to us to use barley and oats. It's the traditional Dublin-style pot still. It’s made from that, and the characteristics you get (are), obviously, your beautiful malt notes and the fruity notes that you get, then, from the esters that are created in the whiskey spirit from your raw barley and from your oats, and then that, in itself, creates beautiful congeners in your Town Branch Bourbon barrels — beautiful flavor molecules that develop over time, then. So, that's why we picked those, because it’s the most traditional style of Irish Whiskey that's quite unique to the Dublin area.

Tom:                       Well, Conor, for anybody listening who might be planning a trip to Dublin and they want to come by and see this, how can they find the distillery?

Conor:                      Log on to pearselyonsdistillery.com. There’s a booking engine there. Due to COVID, we’re not open currently because, obviously, the world is still opening up here in Ireland. (It’s) been quite a restrictive time for us. The distillery's planning on being open in the very near future.

                                So, once you log on to pearselyonsdistillery.com, you’ll find a booking engine, and hopefully, then, people will be able to book their way into the whole sensory experience that is Pearse Lyons Distillery, because when you're in there, it's a fully functioning distillery, from start to finish, in a church. You hear it. You smell it. You taste it. It’s a very tangible experience.

                                 And then, while you’re there, you get guided around the graveyard. As I mentioned, there’s been a church on that site for 800 years, and you’ll be told about the history of the area through our surroundings. Some of the most famous people in the beverage industry in Dublin are actually buried and laid to rest in the Pearse Lyons Distillery graveyard outside, on the grounds. And it's just incredible. Like the cosigner of the Guinness lease, the Costigans, and the Rainsworths, the people who sold the brewing and distilling equipment to George Roe, who was one of the biggest distillers in Dublin and Ireland, and also the fantastically acclaimed James Power. The man who setup Powers Whiskey is also buried in the graveyard.

                                 So, Dr. Lyons and Mrs. Lyons, when they set up the distillery, they always said, “And as part of the experience, whiskey is only part of our story.” So, when you do come and visit us, you will get to hear about the history of the locality, the history of the characters that are laid to rest (in the church graveyard). And they’ll get the snapshot of past, present and then future when they get to taste our multi-award-winning whiskies. And hopefully, if they're really nice, I’m sure they might even get to taste a new-make sample from the whiskey that's being produced at the moment, if they talk nicely.

Tom:                        Robert Walker, you've been listening, and I just wondered if there's anything that you've heard that you would like to expand on or add.

Robert:                    Yeah. You know, what Conor was saying there about the flavor profile and what we’re looking for in the crop, I think that is very interesting, because when Conor first approached us and was talking about what he was looking for, it became immediately apparent that we could help a lot on the Alltech Crop Science side. What we can do with our natural product is we can make sure that the crop exhibits its maximum genetic potential. And so, if we’re looking for more sugar, we can do that. If we are looking for less protein, we can do that.

                                 And conversely, my experience from other crops has shown that we can up the protein, down the sugars, up the mineral profile and make a lot of other changes in the crop just by fine-tuning its nutrition and using these natural ingredients that are designed to get the most out of the crop and make sure that the crop is exhibiting its maximum potential. And I think that's where the exciting part is. The fact that we can trace it all the way from the very beginning, from when that seed first goes into the ground, treating the soil initially, and then all the way through, looking after that crop with natural products, and then finally seeing it harvested and made into whiskey.

So, you’ve got the full 360, as Conor mentioned. And yeah, it’s just a very, very exciting project to watch grow.

Tom:                        Well, actually, it’s the “full 359”. We’ve got one important question here to cover, and that is: When and where can we get our hands on a bottle of Pearse Lyons Irish Whiskey? Conor, you want to take that?

Conor:                      We import whiskey into the U.S.A. through our own beverage company in America. So, Lexington Brewing & Distilling imports all of our Irish spirits or Irish Whiskey and our Irish gin. So, through their website, you’ll be able to find what outlet it is available in stateside. And actually, a point to note is our Pearse seven-year-old whiskey has been awarded Best Blended Irish Whiskey for the last two years consecutively. Now, considering 90-odd percent of all Irish Whiskey is blended whiskey, for us to get the best blended Irish Whiskey for two years consecutively is an incredible achievement to all involved, and it's fantastic.

                                So, we have a range in our Pearse Irish Whiskey range. We also have a Ha’penny whiskey range, and then we also have two types of gins, which — we have a Ha’penny gin, and we have our Míl gin. They’re kind of our core spirits that come from Ireland that are available in the U.S.A. So, Lexington Brewing & Distilling, on their website, they’ve got a location finder on it, and they'll be able to guide you in the right direction to pick up a bottle in the U.S.

Tom:                        Well, as I said in the beginning, it's all such a fascinating story. And when you think back to the beginnings of Alltech, (the) very humble beginnings of Alltech, and to have achieved what you just told us is just remarkable. Conor Ryan, global spirits brand ambassador for Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, and Robert Walker, European growth officer at Alltech and CEO of the Ireland-based Alltech agri-brand, KEENAN. We thank you both for joining us.

Robert:                    Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.

Conor:                     It’s been a pleasure and an honor. Thank you for the invite. Much appreciated.

Tom:                        I’m Tom Martin, and thank you for listening. This has been Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

While your average person is still snuggled underneath their blankets in the early morning, Corne VanDenAkker can be found in his barn, tending to the task of milking his herd of cows. There, he reflects on his relationship with farming, which is rooted in a tradition going back almost forty years, beginning when his family made the move from their homeland in Holland to their current homestead in Canada. Upon making the choice to continue this farming tradition, VanDenAkker began farming full-time on his own land and tending his herd after earning a degree from the University of Guelph. Since then, he has grown his herd to over 100 head, added milking robots to modernize his operation, and is continuously seeking how to become a better, more efficient and sustainable farmer.

Through his years of experience, VanDenAkker knows the importance of being cognizant of what goes into his dairy cows in terms of what they eat and the balance of nutrients required to maintain his herd health and optimal milk production. However, he was unsure if he would be able to support his herd with the yields from his own fields. 

Everything we grow goes into our cows

“Everything we grow goes into our cows,” VanDenAkker noted when discussing the 250 acres of corn that is farmed and destined for his own silage. “I didn’t know if I could feed them enough to support the milk.”

VanDenAkker has long used Alltech products such as Yea-Sacc and Optigen in his livestock feed, and five years ago, he was introduced to Grain-Set, an Alltech Crop Science product geared toward grain crops. He began applying it on 40 of his silage corn acres, and over the years since, he has seen consistent results at every harvest. 

“Year after year, we are seeing improved cob fill and an increase in the number of bushels we are getting from those fields when compared to the untreated area,” VanDerAkken said, adding that his average increase is more than 10 bushels per acre.

This crop yield increase is formidable, but the data that really impressed VanDenAkker came after he began feeding his Grain-Set-treated corn silage to his cows. 

“They increased their milk production when we switched,” he said. “I saw a trend in the increase but couldn’t be sure (that it was totally related to Grain-Set).” 

Backed by Science

VanDenAkker’s curiosity about the results prompted him to dig deeper into what he was seeing, and he decided to send samples of both his treated and untreated corn silage for analytical testing. The results spoke for themselves: The Alltech Crop Science-treated corn silage showed a 5.8% increase in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. This meant that the dairy cows were getting more energy and taking in more nutrients from the feed, allowing them to not only increase their milk production but to also have more balanced rumen health. These improvements help increase farmers’ profitability and make their systems more efficient.       

What is the science behind these results? Simply put: nutrigenomics. Gene expression helps corn silage crops better withstand environmentally stressful conditions, like drought or overly wet soils, and both biotic and abiotic stress. The plants respond by inducing their own resistance to these stressors and improving their own performance.  

Based on these results, VanDenAkker is enthusiastic about his plans to continue using Grain-Set on his silage corn. When asked about the difference he has seen in his cows, VanDenAkker smiled pragmatically and said, “I feed the cows myself, and I can see the results for myself. They are eating better and getting what they need from the feed. I always had good cows, but they are very decent now.”

What is Grain-Set?

Grain-Set is a unique blend of micronutrients and fermentation products and is specifically formulated for cereal, grain, forage and oil crop production.

• Provides nutrients essential for plant metabolic processes
• Increases grain weight and yield
• Optimizes crop uniformity
• Improves grain fill and quality
• OMRI-listed for use in organic production

Have a question? Contact us!

HELM Agro and Alltech Crop Science are aiming to take crop yields and quality to the next level. Dave Schumacher, president of HELM Agro, and Alltech Crop Science manager Steve Borst joined Ag Future to discuss the partnership, which bridges the gap between traditional and biological crop input solutions in the U.S.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dave Schumacher and Steve Borst hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Tom:                        Welcome to Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities facing the global food supply chain and speak with experts working to support a planet of plenty.

                                 I’m Tom Martin. And joining me for this edition of Ag Future are Dave Schumacher, president of HELM Agro, and Alltech Crop Science manager Steve Borst. These two entrepreneurial, family-owned businesses have formed a new partnership, and we’re going to get the details.

                                Welcome to Ag Future, Dave and Steve.

Dave:                       Thank you, Tom.

Steve:                      Thanks for having us.

Tom:                        And I’d like to get your perspectives on this partnership. Dave, let’s start with you. If you could, tell us about HELM and what it brings to the arrangement.

Dave:                       Sure. Well, thanks, Tom, for a chance to, to share more about our relationship.        

                                 Like Alltech, HELM is a family-owned business. And we’ve actually been in business for 121 years. So, we have a deep commitment to, to serving our customers.

Within our business, HELM Agro, we are involved in the crop protection business in the U.S. So, we provide solutions to help farmers grow better crops and (are) really helping them reach their crops’ full genetic potential.

HELM also has the fertilizer business (and) crop nutrient business in the U.S., and they’re committed to bringing crop nutrients to the market and to help farmers achieve that high yield potential.

So, we’re excited about bringing our capabilities around customers and market knowledge and our crop protection footprint and fertilizer footprints to this partnership. So, we’ll be bringing sales and marketing, as well as salespeople in the field, to support and grow the Alltech Crop Sciences portfolio.

Tom:                        Okay. Let’s bring you in, Steve. Same question: What is the role of Alltech Crop Science in this partnership, which I understand is unique?

Steve:                      Thank you, Tom. Yeah, very much so. We’re just really excited about working with Dave, the HELM team, and having the ability to bridge two companies that have the same culture, the same entrepreneurial culture, of figuring out ways to do more with less.

                                 And I would say, from our standpoint, as Dave was mentioning, you know, what HELM brings — on the crop science side, our focus is on the innovation, technologies, and the R&D and the science behind getting these technologies through HELM to the marketplace.

                                 So, our founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons has always — has always maintained a very entrepreneurial mindset to coming up with solutions and looking at solutions from a forward-thinking perspective. And now, his son has carried on that same mindset and really has pushed us to figure out ways to partner and to work collectively with key groups within the ag space to better service our clientele and better service our customers. So, as far as the uniqueness of this partnership — and, again, it’s a testament to the initiative that Dr. Mark Lyons had set out for us.

So, our Planet of Plenty vision of looking at ways at — looking at ways to build these partnerships and to get these types of technologies into the ag space. So, the uniqueness here is that we’re, we are — it is a strategic partnership that is going to focus on bridging agronomic or traditional agronomic solutions with the biological solution platform. Because we think both technologies offered by both companies have a space and have a position in the ag space and need to be utilized collectively together in order to achieve the genetic potential that Dave was mentioning.

                                So, we’re very excited about what this is going to offer our customer base and what it’s going to provide the ag sector, the agronomic sector.

Tom:                        The Planet of Plenty initiative revolves around sustainability. How does this new relationship between Alltech and HELM Agro apply a systems approach to support sustainable solutions?

Dave:                       You know, from our perspective, customers want options, and they need options to produce a crop that’s going to feed the world. So, when we look at a systems approach, there is resistance, in some cases, to some traditional crop protection products that, we think, using a systems approach of some application of Alltech Crop Science’s products in rotation or in combination with some of the traditional products can help farmers manage some of that resistance and also, you know, improve their overall yield.

                                 I think there is certainly a push from the end consumer to have less, I’d say — less traditional chemistry is used in the practice of growing the crop. And I’m excited about the technology that Alltech Crop Science has developed.

And what we’re going to be able to do, as we start working with our customers in this portfolio, (is) to help them with those solutions. And ultimately, I think (this partnership) is a great opportunity to increase yield and increase the quality of crops while having less of, you know, herbicide, insecticide or fungicide, from a traditional standpoint, being used. So, that’s really exciting for us.

And, you know, a key part of this partnership — we couldn’t be happier about the products that they have in the pipeline and the science behind it. You know, specifically, the nutrigenomics is a very cutting-edge technology, a best-in-class technology that kind of helps really determine what that crop is going through and how we can get the best performance on the timing application. So, it’s really using science to look into what that crop is doing at a molecular level during that time of production. So, we think that that analysis will help us springboard this into a very science-driven portfolio. So, we’re very excited about it.

Tom:                        Steve, you have thoughts on this?

Steve:                      Yeah. And just to reiterate what Dave was saying, I think that the Planet of Plenty — and just maybe dovetailing into it the sustainability aspect of it, sustainability means longevity and the opportunity to really facilitate your crop life cycle and to better produce a higher-quality yield.

                                 And so, I think, when we are talking about how sustainability fits into this partnership, as Dave was mentioning, tying both of our companies’ strengths together, from a biological and from a traditional chemistry approach, is a way for us to be able to provide a long-term solution or a long-term opportunity for our crop, as a crop input, and for our customers and our retail partners that we have around the world — and more importantly, here, with our domestic partnership here in the United States. Because everybody in our space right now — from an agronomic perspective, everybody is looking for new and innovative ways to combat the challenges that they’ve been, that have been occurring for the year-on-year cycle.

                                 So, this is just, again, another way for us to provide more technologies and more and newer innovation to the agronomic space and to take a better stab at providing better solution, better biological solutions on-farm.

                                  And so, combining the retail outreach that HELM has and the sales force and the marketing tools that HELM has and combining that in with the crop science innovation technology — and, as Dave mentioned, the nutrigenomics, of tying a mode of action to these biological solutions — and providing through that retail arm is just really, really exciting.

Tom:                        So, do I understand that this systems approach that you’re talking about, does this more or less optimize efficiency and sustainability?

Steve:                      Yeah. I would say it optimizes efficiency. It optimizes efficiency.

                                 But as Dave and I both mentioned, it does provide opportunities for us to look at different ways to combat these challenges that we’re seeing. Whether we’re talking about disease pressure or the challenges with yield and producing more bushel to the acre, it does provide more opportunities and more selection for — more selections for farmers to combat those challenges, Tom.

Tom:                        Okay. Each partner is bringing to the table its own ongoing scientific research, as well as the development of new products. Does the partnership call for communication and collaboration in those areas?

Dave:                       Absolutely. You know, this a partnership, and we look (forward) to growing the product portfolios together. We’re going to be collaborating closely on new product development. I would see our R&D team and marketing teams working closely together in the upcoming few months to identify where some of those new products (and) solutions can be created.

                                So, you know, there’s a lot of opportunities, I think, in some of the crops that we’re looking at that we’ll be able to reach, as well as some potential combinations between a more traditional synthetic traditional crop protection product and a biological product.

                                So, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for collaboration and development and really pairing up the strengths of both companies to bring a solution that fits the needs of our customers.

Tom:                        Steve, over on your side at Alltech, do you have a bat phone on your desk for HELM? I mean, are you all staying in communication?

Steve:                      Oh, routinely. It’s a big, bright red phone that Dave has on his desk, and I have one on mine, that we routinely pick up. [laughs] Absolutely, Tom.

                                 I would say, you know, a lot of the excitement that you hear from this is, as I mentioned earlier, (rooted in) the similar culture and the openness that we are both taking going into this new agreement together, with family-owned companies (that are) privately held (and that have a) global outreach, have a strong entrepreneurial mindset to both of them.

                                 I would say, you know, it’s been an absolute pleasure — and I have to say that we, we always are continuing to find new and innovative ways and opportunities that we haven’t really thought of, as individual partners, individual companies, (to collaborate). And back to what Dave was saying there, from a partnership (perspective), you know, who better to have an idea of where to fit biological solutions in a traditional synthetic program than a traditional and synthetic company? And vice versa: Who better, alternatively, to think of some ways to put some synthetic and combination program opportunities or ideas together than, you know, a traditional chemical company and advising a biological company?

So, it’s just, it’s — we are both very much looking forward to continuing the discovery and exploring new ways for us to combine our footprints to create something very special, futuristically, for our customers.

Tom:                        Dave, back to you. Tell us about a couple of herbicides produced by HELM: Reviton and Katagon. I believe I’m pronouncing that correctly.       

Dave:                       Yes, Tom. Thanks. So, Reviton and Katagon, these are two new products that we launched this year. And I’m very excited about their performance in the marketplace.

                                 Reviton is a new active ingredient that’s registered in the U.S. (for) first time ever. So, in crop protection, new active ingredients have — there hasn’t been a whole lot of them in the past few years. So, with our partnership with other providers globally, we’ve been able to introduce that product. And it is a product that helps growers start cleaning at the beginning of the year. We call it the “burn-down market,” where we start cleaning at the beginning of the year (and doing) broadleaf and grass control. And (Reviton has a) very good safety profile compared to some other products in that market. So, we’re really excited about that.

                                 Katagon is a post-herbicide for corn, so (it is applied) after the corn crop is up. And it does not contain glyphosate, so it could be used for growers that are not planting GMO-type corn. So, if you don’t have a glyphosate-tolerant corn, you could use Katagon for your broadleaf and grass control.

So, we’re really excited about those two markets. The Reviton, we see big increases in minimum tillage or no-till (with this product) as growers look to conserve moisture in the soil and manage soil health as best they can. Reviton has been a great solution to help them in that space, to start cleaning in the spring. Or if you have a weed problem in the fall, you can address it with that.

                                So, (we are) really excited about those two products and think these are a great addition to the Alltech Crop Sciences portfolio, so that we can bring total solutions to our customers.

Tom:                        Under this partnership, HELM is marketing, selling and distributing the Alltech Crop Science line of products. Steve, I wondered if you could tell us about that product line.

Steve:                      Sure. Yeah. Alltech Crop Science, our — at Alltech, our focus and our expertise is fermentation. Whether we’re talking about yeast, bacteria, fungi — I mean, our focus is providing a fermentation-type technology to the market.

                                 And I would say the opportunity on the line, and the uniqueness of our line that we’re offering, is that we, as a biological company — a lot of the challenges that we ran into, or a lot of our customers would say (that) a lot of the challenges they ran into, were with the biological companies, (and those problems) stem from quality, shelf life and an understanding of mode of action.

                                 And so, our focus, over the past 26 years of existence, has been to come up with these types of technologies that are more convenient for the farmer to use (and that) improve shelf life and stability, and then, ultimately, with our nutrigenomic and our research arm, (we want to) provide a mode of action or rationale to how these technologies work in the space.

                                 And so, our lineup that we are currently offering, our standard lineup that we have — we have four pillars that we focus on. (The first is) soil. So, soil health (and) technologies to deliver to the soil. (The second pillar is) nutrition, which is (provided via) our micronutrient packs that we add amino acids to and then incorporate those technologies to improve overall uptake and efficiency from a mineral-use program.

                                (The third pillar is) protection, which is (going to be featured in) our future lineup that we’re excited about. So, providing technologies, like some of our research ones — though some are currently still in research — and that we’ll be deploying with PTA registration through HELM. So, biofungicides and biostimulants. And then, (the fourth pillar is) our performance line, which is our biostimulant line that is the technology delivered to provide a genetic benefit or a specific yield or quality gain.

                                 So, all those four pillars, all of our technologies, will be offered through our HELM partnership or through HELM to our distribution channel that we currently work with.

                                 But as I mentioned, we’re really excited about what we have in R&D and in the pipeline coming with regards to the biofungicide and the bionematicide — two key technologies that we’ll be launching through HELM, hopefully, by the end of next year.

Tom:                        Well, I’m glad you brought that up, Steve, because I was going to ask each of you — and I know that you can only go so far with what you can reveal (about) what’s going on in your labs — but (I am) just curious: What’s percolating there that might be of interest to our listeners that you’re excited about?

Steve:                      So, I can go first. I would say our — we have a technology, and the code name right now is ACS811. It is a biofungicide product that we are registering as a biofungicide, and it is used to combat fungal and bacterial pathogens. And the mode of action, how it works, is fostered around us triggering defense mechanisms in the plant to provide a systemic reaction to defend, or from a defense standpoint.

So, we’re really excited about what we’ve been able to create there from that. And also, having contained within that product is a contact reaction. So, if the disease is present, we also see a contact, where they kill stimulation that, basically, would help to combat the disease if it’s already there and present. So, it’s almost — not to use an example of where we kind of are right now within our, within society, but it’s almost like a vaccine, where you’re putting this on a plant, and it’s triggering a defense mechanism to help to defend itself against an impending attack.

So, we’re really excited about that technology. And then, the other one is a bionematicide that we currently are in the process of registration in both Brazil and, currently, here domestically, in the U.S., that we will be launching through HELM. And that is (targeting) nematode problems, a very serious problem that usually requires very serious and toxic chemistries in order to combat. And we will be providing a safe, biological-derived technology to combat those challenges, that challenge, for our customers as well.

                                 So, they will be the two key ones that we have under (development) in the safe right now, Tom, but we are really, really excited and focused on getting (these solutions) deployed out through HELM as soon as possible.

Tom:                        Well, Dave, I want to give you that question as well, but before we get there, I just want to say that that sounds pretty revolutionary to this layman’s ear. It sounds as though what you’re doing is fortifying the plant’s ability to defend itself versus applying some external chemical or toxin to do the same thing. Is that a correct assessment?

Dave:                       Yeah, I think you’re absolutely right. With the biological approach, it’s really working with the plant to enhance its defense mechanism. The product that Steve was referencing, ACS811, we’re really excited about that product and the opportunities that these products will have in the marketplace. We can see a lot of applications to that in either row crop or specialty crops as well.

One of the challenges with disease pressure is it’s ever-changing, and Mother Nature always wins. So, Mother Nature will build resistance to some of the products being used. And this gives us a great opportunity to address them, those challenges that growers have, with a different mode of action that can make a healthier plant.

                                 So, we’re excited about, you know, being able to bring new solutions to growers and retailers to help out in that space. So, it is an exciting, exciting venture. And a lot of what we’ve seen with other biologicals are they don’t work as consistently as what we’re seeing with the Alltech Crop Science portfolio. And I think that attributes to, you know, the rigor around science and product development but also the manufacturing capability (at Alltech Crop Science). It’s not easy to manage that fermentation and produce through fermentation, and Alltech Crop Science and Alltech are experts in that space.

So, that’s going to help us, I think, break through dark water, if you will — (and by that I mean) some of the biologicals that are out there — and really bring that consistency and science-based approach, along with the proof points of, like, nutrigenomics that we can show (producers that) it actually is enhancing that plant’s defense mechanism.

So, we’re really excited about this technology and what it can provide for our customers for the future.

Tom:                        Earlier in the conversation, we touched on the Planet of Plenty initiative at Alltech. And to wrap things up, I’d like to ask each of you to tell us how the Planet of Plenty initiative figures into what you do into your work. How about you, Steve?

Steve:                       Perfect. I would say, from the initiative, as I mentioned, that Mark has really set forward for us to use as our focus, from a crop science standpoint, I would say what this partnership has really touched on is, as we mentioned, the sustainability aspect of the relationship and what each company is trying to deliver from a solution standpoint — but more importantly, (in relation to our) partnership.

                                 The ability for us to work collectively together — and the idea was to benefit from each other’s strengths and to combat some of, maybe, the weaknesses that we might have been looking to come up with solutions for (as) an individual (company) that (we) now have the opportunity to be a bit of a stronger force in the space (by working together). I think that would be where I would say this really ties into that overall message that Dr. Mark Lyons has set forth for us all from an Alltech standpoint.

Tom:                       Okay. And Dave, your perspective on that?

Dave:                       Yeah. I think, you know, as we look at this partnership, it’s going to provide us with the opportunity to provide more solutions to growers.

Currently, you know, this will be a new venture into the soil health piece, and that’s been an area that’s very much growing. And we’re excited to be a part of it, because we’re seeing, you know, a lot of development in that area. And being able to grow a sustainable crop really starts with your soil and the nutrition in your soil, as well as the right bugs that are converting organic material into food for the plants. And the Alltech Crop Sciences portfolio has some great opportunities to do that.

                                 And also, with the Reviton product, you know, that’s going to continue to support minimum or even increasing to till acres, which will be good in that as people think about growing a more sustainable crop.

                                You know, the other thing I wanted to add is, overall, HELM is moving in this way and other parts of the business as well. On our industrial business, we just announced a joint venture with Cargill Green to build a plant in Iowa that will make input products for plastic to make sustainable plastics out of corn — so versus out of a petroleum-based or an oil-based input.

                                So, we’re really excited about that as well and our commitment to agriculture and how we can help use the land, to be good stewards of the land with our customers. So, we’re really excited about it.

Tom:                        All right. Dave Schumacher, president of HELM Agro. Alltech Crop Science manager Steve Borst. Thank you both for joining us.

Dave:                      Thank you, Tom.

Steve:                     Thanks, Tom.

Tom:                        I’m Tom Martin, and thank you for listening. This has been Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

The benefits of selenium for human and animal health are well-known. Selenium is an essential trace element that plays an important role in preventing selenium-dependent diseases that impact thyroid, cardiovascular and fertility functions. But did you know that selenium also plays a positive role in agriculture? In addition to its antioxidant benefits in humans and animals, selenium has also been found to decrease the negative effects of soil pH on plant growth, to support plants’ tolerance to environmental stressors and even, potentially, to increase plant protection. When selenium is not available in the soil and the area surrounding the root system, it can be added to nitrogen-rich fertilizers, allowing the plant to convert the selenium into more bioavailable forms that can be easily consumed by humans and animals, bringing selenium and its benefits full-circle.   

What is selenium?

Discovered in 1817, this trace element takes its name from selene, the Greek word for “moon,” because of its similarities to tellurium, which was named after the Greek word for “earth”.  It also is similar in nature to sulfur and features uptake pathways comparable to the pathways found in that element.

Selenium, unfortunately, is an element with a sordid reputation. Much like the bear family in Goldilocks, the amount of selenium included in the diet must be “just right” for optimal health. Too much results in death; too little ends in disease and deficiency. 

The availability of selenium in the soil is dependent on the pH levels and the amount of organic matter in that soil. Other factors include the microbial activity, moisture and texture of the soil, as well as its temperature. There are three forms of selenium that are most commonly found in soils:

• Selenite: Found in more aerobic soils with a neutral pH
• Selenate: Useful in soils with a lower pH and lower oxidation reduction potential; it is taken up more readily and transported from the roots to other parts of the plant
• Selenide: More dominant in soils with very diminished conditions

Selenium is also found in three amino acids (called seleno-amino acids) that have also proven to be toxic in large doses but that are beneficial in smaller amounts. Studies have shown that seleno-amino acids — especially selenomethionine (SeMet) — have antimicrobial properties that improve plant health and can decrease the potential for mycotoxin production. 

How does selenium improve plant production?

In adequate amounts, selenium has been found to have several positive effects on plants, including: 

• An increased tolerance to environmental stressors, such as drought and salinity stress.
• A decrease in the uptake of toxic metals, as well as in the dangerous effects of those metals on plants.
• Improved plant development.
• Potentially increased yield.
• Improved fruit or grain quality
• Improved availability of selenium in fruit and grain for animal and human consumption.

How do I know if I have enough selenium in my soil?

Soil testing is the most efficient way of determining the amount of selenium in your soil. Additionally, testing will not only tell you if you have too much or too little selenium, but it will also note the pH levels in your soil, allowing you to learn which types of selenium are more prevalent there. 

What if my soil is selenium-depleted?

Selenium biofortification is the addition of selenium through liquid fertilizers or through a slower-release option, which are applied directly to the soil or sprayed on the leaves at strategic times in order to increase the amount available to the plants.

Dr. Luiz Guilherme of the University of Lavras in Brazil explored the effects of selenium biofortification during the crop track of the annual Alltech ONE Ideas Conference. In his presentation, Dr. Guilherme discussed the challenges of producing food with a high nutrient density. 

“With adequate nutrient management, we contribute a lot to global food security,” he said, noting that when dealing with selenium-deficient soils, it is rare to produce plants for human consumption that have enough selenium to meet our requirements without the addition of a supplement.

The proper stewardship and management of both the soil and crops are key to achieving our cropping system goals, improving nutrient uptake and minimizing nutrient and environmental loss. In his presentation, Dr. Guilherme related the importance of nutrient management through “The 4 Rs of Nutrient Stewardship”: 

• Right source: The fertilizer/additive types must match the crop’s needs.
• Right rate: Adding the specific amounts for the crop’s needs.
• Right time: Providing the nutrients needed by the crops when they need them and can best use them.
• Right place: Placing the nutrients where the crop can best utilize them (e.g., applying fertilizer to the soil, where it is taken up by the roots or sprayed directly onto the plants).

By following these steps, growers are seeing increased levels of bioavailable selenium in their crops. For example, in some instances, applying selenium-fortified fertilizers to wheat during the vegetative and grain filling stage (instead of during planting or the initial take-off stages) has resulted in greater yields and has increased the amount of selenium in the grain, thereby adding to the daily selenium intake of humans and animals.

According to Norman Borlaug, the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, “Food is the moral right of all who are born in this world” — but the word “nutritious” should be added to the beginning of that statement, Dr. Guilherme argued in his address. The many agricultural uses and health benefits of selenium are still being discovered, and promising results are being reported. As Dr. Guilherme noted, some exciting research is being done exploring the different selenium complexes and their applications for various crops, as well as what this means in the entire food chain.

Have a question or comment?

As a member of the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team, Dr. Alexandra Weaver uses data to help producers make quicker decisions about their feed and limit the negative impact of mycotoxins on their animals. She joined the Ag Future podcast to discuss the effects of extreme weather on mycotoxin management and shares how technology can help mitigate the risks.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dr. Alexandra Weaver hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Tom:                      I'm Tom Martin, and joining me is Alexandra Weaver, a member of the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team. The group has been providing technical support globally since Dr. Weaver joined Alltech in 2013. She's been working on the topic of mycotoxins for more than a decade; research for her master's and Ph.D. in animal science and nutrition from North Carolina State University focused on mycotoxins. She joins us to bring us up to date on the mycotoxin issue in agriculture. Welcome, Dr. Weaver.

Dr. Weaver:             Great. Welcome. Thank you very much for having me.

Tom:                      And so, tell us about your work in developing computer programs to track mycotoxin risk, as well as (to) measure the physical and financial impact of mycotoxins on animals.

Dr. Weaver:             Yes, of course. So, if we think about mycotoxins, which are metabolites that are produced by fungi naturally out in the field, we need to know their contamination level, and we need to understand how that relates to animal performance so that we can have a better method for managing those toxins.

                               So, actually, to better understand the mycotoxin challenge, Alltech began collecting data on samples that were being submitted for mycotoxin analysis back in 2012. We started (doing that), and shortly after that, we started developing simple, Excel-based programs to look at the data — but, really, Excel is kind of a technology of the past now. And it really didn't tell us enough information.

                               So, over time, I've actually worked on advancing our programs to include better interpretation and visualization of the data. And now, we currently use Microsoft Power BI-based programs. And Power BI is basically just a high-tech system that allows us to increase the functionality of our data and allows the user to actually see mycotoxin contamination profiles from around the globe in real time. So, they have really fast access to data and information about mycotoxins.

                               Now, you also mentioned (something) about the connection between, kind of, the data and the risk to, actually, the animal performance. And I've also developed programs that allow us to actually link (and) publish scientific literature to the potential impact on the animal. And then, through that, we can actually try to assess and understand the financial impact of that performance change on the animal.

Tom:                      And is that information being updated?

Dr. Weaver:             Yep. Whenever there's new information on the scientific literature side, we can look at that, and we go through and add that new information into our programs so that we can have the best prediction models that are out there.

Tom:                      Okay. Are these extreme weather patterns that we're experiencing — the severe flooding (and) severe drought — are they impacting, one way or another, the fungi that are the source of mycotoxins?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes, definitely. So, weather events are certainly impacting that fungi. And actually, weather is probably one of the biggest factors in promoting fungal occurrence and the type of mycotoxin produced, as well as the concentration of the mycotoxins.

                               So, anything like drought, excess rainfall, high temperatures, tornadoes, hail, wind damage — really, all of these can alter the complex balance between the plant and the fungi. So, if that plant is stressed, that could increase the fungal colonization and the mycotoxin level (in the plant). If the plant is damaged, that allows (for the) entry of that fungus into the plant and, again, increases growth, increases mycotoxins. But even if the fungi itself gets stressed, this also increases the mycotoxin production.

                               So, weather really does play, again, one of the biggest roles in that occurrence and the growth of the fungi and the production of mycotoxins. And it is really something to keep an eye on.

Tom:                      Well, let's narrow that list of extreme weather conditions down to drought. Is drought having — or may (it) have — an impact on mycotoxin risk in this year's crops?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes. Certainly. So, many areas this year have experienced some very significant drought conditions, and drought is a very stressful situation for the plant. This provides a great opportunity for fungal colonization. And particularly when we think about drought conditions, we often talk about the mycotoxins aflatoxin and fumonisin being more prevalent in those areas that have had drought conditions. So, if someone's been experiencing drought conditions in their area and they're worried about mycotoxins, those are certainly ones to keep an eye out for.

Tom:                      Are you seeing any big trends in terms of contamination patterns?

Dr. Weaver:             Yeah. I think, really, the biggest trend is just the variable weather patterns on the extreme weather events. Really, over the past several years, we have seen quite some varying weather. A couple years ago, some areas in the upper Midwest had actually record rainfall. And with that, we saw some very high levels and very high occurrences of some mycotoxins, like deoxynivalenol.

                               Now, of course, this year, you’re going to see quite a range of weather, from the drought conditions over to, maybe, some very high-rainfall areas (and) maybe some that have experienced both — so, they had drought conditions, but then rainfall came. And that could still cause problems to the plant as well, depending on when that rainfall came. If it was around tasseling that actually could promote mycotoxins, regardless of if you had normal (conditions) or drought conditions previously.

                               So, really, these extreme weather events — that is, (these) variable weather patterns — really are the trends we're seeing. And it really is going to affect what a producer sees, and they're going to have to be very aware of the weather they experience on their crops. And certainly, I would recommend testing for mycotoxins so you can be aware of the contamination level.

Tom:                      Well, farming has never been easy but (is) certainly not for the faint of heart in these times.

Dr. Weaver:             Very true.

Tom:                      What are the most recent advances in technologies related to mycotoxins?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes. So, I think — there’s certainly a lot of new technologies, but I think a lot of them have actually centered around data generation, data collection and data management. So, that could be things like tools that allow that user to detect mycotoxins on their sample just very rapidly, within minutes. You can send your samples to labs and get results for dozens of mycotoxins at a time in that sample. And then, of course, (there are) programs — such as those I've worked on — that allow the user to actually log in to see their data in real time and look at data either on a local scale or a global scale.

                               So, really, I think these new technologies are centered around data — and rapid access to that data and interpretation of that data — so that the producer can make a quicker decision about their feeds and limit those negative impacts of mycotoxins on the animal.

Tom:                      So, the updated Alltech portal delivers risk assessment?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes, exactly. So, the Alltech mycotoxin management portal is our home for a variety of tools that allow the user to manage and interpret their mycotoxin data. So, if they’ve submitted a sample for analysis by either (the) Alltech 37+ laboratory or our field-based testing, which is Alltech RAPIREAD, those samples can get loaded onto this Alltech portal. And they can then get information on not just those numerical results (from the) testing but, actually, a more detailed interpretation through what we call an assessment report. And this actually provides information on how mycotoxin levels can relate to an animal performance or health change.

                               So, if that user logs in, they look at their assessment report, they get an idea now of, actually, “Is that sample at a lower, moderate or higher risk to animal performance?” And again, that can help them make a better decision on how to use the material.

Tom:                      Is the web address for the portal short enough to talk about verbally here, or is it something that we should post online for our listeners to find and access?

Dr. Weaver:             Yep, it's pretty easy. It’s knowmycotoxins.com.

Tom:                      Ah, clever.

Dr. Weaver:             We can post that as well.

Tom:                      How can we best use data to meet the sustainability challenge in agriculture?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes, that is a great question. So, data actually is, of course, very important for understanding and tracking your mycotoxin risk, as I’ve described. But we actually can start to use data to understand how mycotoxins, for example, impact even the sustainability of (the) production setting. So, we've actually started looking at scientific literature, and we've been able to complete several meta-analysis studies that actually show that mycotoxins can not only alter the gain and efficiency of an animal but (can) actually alter even the CO₂ output and the overall sustainability of a farm.

                               So, I think this is really interesting information that shows that mycotoxins are playing, actually, a very big role on the farm — and, again, not just on the performance of your animals but, actually, (on) many different areas of that farm.

Tom:                      Are you and your team trying stay out ahead of what producers will be anticipating, what they’ll be demanding, in the near future?

Dr. Weaver:             Yes, certainly. So, that fits right into the sustainability aspect. So, we think producers, consumers — really, the food chain as a whole — are demanding information on sustainability. And we want to know how mycotoxins are impacting that farm's sustainability and how we can bring solutions to that system to actually play a role in improving sustainability on farms. So, using this information, using the scientific literature that we have, we’re able to see how we can go about dealing with this challenge and provide those — the details that producers and consumers are going to want, and provide solutions to that challenge.

Tom:                      All right. That’s Dr. Alexandra Weaver, a member of the Alltech Mycotoxin Management team. Thank you, Dr. Weaver.

Dr. Weaver:             Great. Thank you very much, Tom.

Tom:                      Join Alltech and a panel of expert speakers virtually during the U.N. Food Systems Pre-Summit Alltech session, (which) will be held on July 27 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time and will feature a robust conversation on future protein security, focusing on maximizing the efficiency of production resources without unintended social, cultural and environmental consequences. Click here to register: https://bit.ly/36Mp9XZ

                               This has been AgFuture, presented by Alltech. Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to AgFuture wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm Tom Martin. Thanks for listening.