Micronutrients Evolve from Luxury to Necessity: Helena’s Jason Gregory on What’s Ahead for 2026
September 22, 2025 Ag retailers can offer their grower-customers a variety of solutions designed to enhance and improve their crops. Micronutrients should be part of those offerings. CropLife interviewed Jason Gregory, Brand Manager of Coron and Nutritionals, Helena Products Group, to learn what the company is expecting for micronutrients in 2026.
Jason Gregory, Brand Manager of Coron and Nutritionals, Helena Products Group
CropLife: What were your expectations for micronutrients in 2025 and were they met?
Jason Gregory: I expected to see flat to marginal growth headed into 2025 based on overall grower sentiment and economic factors. The closer we got to planting decisions, we began to see grower sentiment improve and planting intentions shift, so we’ve outperformed the expectations I had at this time last year.
CL: What factors influenced how the micronutrient segment faired this year?
JG: We saw a significant shift to corn across the South. While the overall importance of micronutrients doesn’t change based on crop, the system of delivery, timing, and specific nutrient demand can definitely influence the entire segment. Growers know the window to get micronutrients right in corn is very small compared to some of our other staple crops, so they will typically be a bit more proactive rather than reactive here. This helped us get off to a great start and has carried us through 2025 on a positive note.
CL: How has the role of micronutrients changed over the past couple of years?
JG: They’ve truly gone from what many considered luxury items to necessities. Today’s sophisticated grower knows they don’t have that option to plant their crops and let them scavenge for micronutrients. The investment in seed alone has changed how they have to approach their overall nutrient plan. We’re talking micronutrients as a part of the overall system when we’re selling seed because it is that important. We’re learning more and more each day about where we can maximize return on investment, depending not only on the crop, but also on the seed variety or hybrid itself.
CL: Has artificial intelligence had an influence on the micronutrient segment, and if so, how?
JG: The intelligence we rely on at Helena is data. Our AGRIntelligence team and the services they provide have had a significant influence on how we approach our micronutrient segment. Along with our grower partners, they continue to deliver information that can blow my mind on a daily basis. We’re able to see large-scale trends across millions of acres and crops that can help large swaths of growers, while at the same time taking this information and making it work for a particular farm or field. While this is exciting for our growers, it will make our job more challenging over the next several years as the demand for micronutrients and micronutrient blends will continue to get more complex.
CL: What trends are currently driving the micronutrients marketplace?
JG: Return on investment. While there are a lot of trends and factors that influence this market, the bottom line is our growers understand that going into the season with a clear plan on how to meet the nutritional needs of their acres is going to deliver more to their profitability.
CL: What are the biggest challenges to growing the micronutrient market?
JG: Acreage. In the US, we’re limited to a certain number of acres. We’re just not going to see significant growth in planted acres as you’re seeing in countries throughout the rest of the world. We’ll continue to grow, because we have to do more with less to feed the world, but it’s going to be more of a rifle approach vs. a shotgun approach.
CL: What are the biggest opportunities for the micronutrient market?
JG: Continued improvement in seed technology. I call today’s hybrids/varieties elite athletes because you have to feed them that way. You have to balance your diet, and in this case, that means using the principles of 4R. At Helena, we view 4R as more than just NPK; we view it as a vital part of the entire nutritional plan for our acreage.
CL: What are your expectations for the 2026 season?
JG: I believe we’re still going to see an opportunity for growth for 2026. It will be vital to start the planning early.
CL: What else do our readers need to know about the micronutrient market?
JG: I would encourage them to continue to invest in staying on the cutting edge of technology. As the coaching world might say, “either you’re getting better, or you’re getting worse; you’re never staying the same.” We’re continuing to invest in learning how, when, where, why and what we deliver to our crops.
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