Beyond Buzzwords, Loveland Products Delivers Real Biology

Loveland Products has spent decades expanding its plant nutrition and biosolutions portfolio. For Ron Calhoun, Loveland’s senior portfolio manager for plant nutrition, the work has never been about chasing a trend. It has been about solving agronomic problems with tools that make sense for growers.

“We were exploring this space before it had a name,” Calhoun notes. Long before terms like biological, biostimulant or biocatalyst became common, Loveland was looking for ways to help crops access more nutrition in challenging conditions. “We were out looking for great agronomic solutions that we could partner with traditional fertilizers. How can we get more out of the inputs we are putting in?”

Making Sense of a Crowded Category

The biosolutions landscape is broad and often inconsistent. Calhoun sees biostimulants as an umbrella category that includes carbon substances, plant extracts, biocatalysts and true biologicals. The goal is simple. Identify materials that can supplement or enhance traditional nutritionals by stimulating the plant or soil system with highly efficient
inputs from known biological sources.

Loveland organizes these tools so that gaps in the portfolio can be identified and development stays focused. For carbon substances, its flagship product is BLACKMAX^® 22. This proprietary formulation is a combination of extracted carbon and carbohydrates that provides a broad range of physical, chemical, and biological benefits to the soil.  “Our in-house formulation expertise allows us to develop purpose-built products that match the agronomic need. In the field, the role of Loveland’s carbon technology is direct,” says Calhoun. “Our word for our carbon technology is ‘hold,’” notes Calhoun. “The goal is to hold more nutrients and moisture, so plants have better access when demand rises. These carbon profiles also form the base for Loveland’s REAX^TM PLUS line, which pairs carbon with micronutrients.”

From Biocatalysts to True Biologicals

Loveland’s biocatalyst technology focuses on postbiotics, the biochemical metabolites produced by microbes. These metabolites are stable, easy to handle and effective during early and late season periods when soil biology activity is reduced. ACCOMPLISH MAX^® is the in-furrow version, while TITAN^® XC is applied to dry fertilizer.

ACCOMPLISH MAX blends those postbiotic metabolites with extracts from extremophile plants, such as cold-water seaweeds. Calhoun explains the appeal. These plants survive rapid swings from frozen water to direct sunlight. “When that chemistry is applied to crops, they can better tolerate early season environmental stress encountered by emerging crops,” he says.

On the true biological side, Loveland’s N-FINITY™ combines a prebiotic, a probiotic and a postbiotic to support nitrogen efficiency. The formulation includes a stable, spore-forming, endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacterium. “It can get mixed with fertilizer, go out and naturalize then start to provide atmospheric nitrogen fixation,” Calhoun explains. N-FINITY also includes signaling compounds that stimulate native nitrogen fixers already present in the soil. “We can measure an increase in overall nitrogen fixer abundance in addition to the ones we apply.”

Why Leadership Matters

Calhoun believes biosolutions are essential for improving nutrient use efficiency and long-term profitability. This work, he said, is not about magic or shortcuts. “I can actually show you the mechanism that is happening in the soil. I can measure what is happening in the soil biological profile or inside the plant.”

The need for clarity and evidence is also why Loveland invests heavily in research. The acquisition of Actagro brought a team of 17 scientists focused on soil and plant interactions. A technical development group runs more than 300 annual trials each year. Before a product enters the market, it undergoes greenhouse testing, field trials, and larger-scale testing at retail locations.

Success brings its own standard. TITAN XC recently reached 100 million treated acres. Calhoun sees that milestone as a responsibility. “If we are going to introduce a new product, we have to make sure it meets that bar.”

Building Confidence Through Training

Loveland supports its retail network with ongoing education. Technical specialists in every division train local outlets and guide product placement. More than 60 self-directed modules help new and experienced staff stay current. Calhoun emphasizes the importance of confidence when working with new technologies. “When our team goes to a grower, we need to be confident that the solution we’re recommending delivers real value and represents the best use of their investment.”