BioAgonomics: A Master Class on Selling Biologicals
Biologicals have come a long way in the last twenty years. While the market is still populated with many new, untested companies and products, there are many businesses now that have biological inputs whose efficacy has been thoroughly researched by universities and other institutions, both in the lab and in the field. Specialty crop growers were among first to adopt biological products; broadacre growers were slower to try them – in large part because scaling up production, distribution, and then application practices for millions of acres with some of the biological products available then was too difficult.
Many of those issues have been overcome now, and while growers and retailers should always do their due diligence, reputable companies, with proven products, are ready — and in some cases have been ready for a while — for the big time.
Trey Soud, Senior Vice President of U.S. Agriculture at DPH Biologicals, says his company has more than 200 large, replicated trials in at least 20 states showing data that their products, when used in the right ways with the right agronomic practices, can provide real value to growers in increased yield and ROI. In a recent webinar, “BioAgonomics: A Master Class on Selling Biologicals,” Soud said broadacre growers are becoming interested in biologicals now but are looking for trusted advisors to help them navigate this new space.
“There’s still a bit of the snake-oil perception out there, plus they need to know when and how to properly use these products so they are beneficial to their operation,” he says. “And this is where retailers come in.”
Identify Grower Goals and Communicate Results
Soud says it’s important to ask specific questions to develop a clear goal for the products. Is the grower focused on high yields? Or uniformity, disease control, stress resilience, residue breakdown? It’s no surprise that in surveys DPH Biologicals has conducted, yield and ROI are top goals.
“The more you can find out what they really want and align the products with what they are already doing in their agronomic practices, the easier it will be to help them achieve their goals,” Soud says. “Then, it’s important to walk the field with your customer and show them how the product is working. They may not immediately see the benefits.”
With more than 200-plus trials conducted over 20 years, DPH Bio has years of replicated, field-trial data speaking to the benefits of biologicals, especially their flagship fertilizer, Terra Trove™ SP-1 Classic™, Soud says. Containing micro algae, five different species of bacteria known to be beneficial to soil-plant interactions and powered by RegenAphex™ — an innovative plant-based humic extract, SP-1 Classic helps bring microbial life back into soil, improving soil structure and porosity. Field studies have resulted in SP-1 Classic fields with two-times faster water infiltration, and greatly improved seedlings emergence, with seedlings emerging all on the same day rather than staggered over numerous days. Improved soil health supports increased yields. Soud cites a three-year grower-partner field high-yield corn field trial that resulted in an 80%-win rate, and an average yield increase of 6.4 bu/acre across the trials.
“It’s critical when building trust with your customers with biological products that you set expectations,” Soud says. “If the product is supposed to break down corn stalks, and they look out a month or so after it’s applied and the field looks the same, that’s a disappointment for them. But if they know it will break down the cellulose and the stalks will be brittle, thin, and easily plowed under by spring, they know what to expect. Biologicals often have multiple modes of action, such as improving soil structure, that you might not see in the first season. Make sure you communicate that. These are not one-size-fits-all products, but our products work very well if used correctly — sometimes in the first season, but often over several years. The results are in the research.”
If you missed the live broadcast of this webinar, “BioAgonomics – A Master Class on Selling Biologicals in 2024: Results Seal the Deal,” you can view the archived version online here or visit CropLife.com/webinars and check it out today.