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Koch Agronomic delivers new PHOSFORCE enzyme technology

Now farmers can access tied-up phosphorus in their soil through the new enzyme mode of action in PHOSFORCE nutrient enhancer from Koch Agronomic Services.

According to the company, this novel phosphorus use efficiency product works immediately to create more plant-available phosphorus in soils, resulting in optimal crop root systems, increased yield and improved soil fertility and health in row crops, and more.

Soils contain organic phosphorus, which is tied up and unavailable to plants. PHOSFORCE uses a unique active ingredient — phosphodiesterase, a naturally occurring enzyme — to accelerate biochemical reactions in the soil and unlock tied-up organic phosphorus. This makes phosphorus more readily available for plant uptake to support healthy root development, improve vigor, and provide nutritional balance to overcome early environmental stress.

“When making nutrient management plans, growers are looking to use what’s already in their soil as a more efficient means to upgrading their crop productivity,” said Steve Coulter, Senior Vice President of Koch Agronomic Services. “PHOSFORCE offers growers a practical solution for increasing phosphorus use efficiency to ensure crops have the phosphorus needed during critical development stages to maximize yield potential.”

One application works immediately to provide several weeks of consistent phosphorus mineralization in the soil. This is because PHOSFORCE derives its performance from enzymes that do not need to grow, survive, or propagate in the soil, resulting in immediate activity and predictable reactions, regardless of field conditions.

PHOSFORCE has been proven effective by many years of trial data to support its performance in improving soil health and crop productivity. In corn, tissue sampling results show corn treated with PHOSFORCE had 23 percent more phosphorus than untreated corn, and treated corn averaged a 5 bu/A yield advantage over untreated corn.

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Image by Fotokostic, Shutterstock

In soybeans, yield advantages over untreated crops averaged 3.5 bu/A. In other crops, PHOSFORCE showed a 22.4 cwt/A yield gain in potatoes and a 57 lb/A yield increase in cotton. Additionally, when PHOSFORCE is applied, side-by-side root digs reveal improved lateral root formation for increased plant nutrient uptake, and soil tests show an overall increase in soil activity.

PHOSFORCE is formulated to be a flexible and convenient addition to most crop production systems, with features that include:

  • A liquid solution compatible with commonly used herbicides, starter fertilizers, UAN products, and water, making it easy to incorporate into current practices.
  • The ability to be applied on-the-surface, in the furrow, as a sidedress, or through other applications such as fertigation.
  • A concentrated formulation that provides a two-year shelf life and versatility to target the ideal application for corn, soybeans, cotton, potatoes, and other crops.

“Starting this spring, growers will have access to PHOSFORCE as a convenient and reliable solution to help their crops make the most of the phosphorus in their soil,” said Coulter.

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American Agri-Women awards Veritas Award to Amanda Radke

American Agri-Women awarded its prestigious Veritas Award to Amanda Radke during its 2024 National Convention, held recently in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The Veritas Award, one of AAW’s highest honors, is given to individuals who have demonstrated public witness to the “pursuit of truth.”

Amanda Radke, a fifth-generation rancher from Mitchell, South Dakota, was recognized for her extraordinary commitment to advancing agriculture, rural communities, and food security. Radke, alongside her husband, Tyler, and their four children, operate Radke Land & Cattle, an Angus seedstock operation. Her work exemplifies the resilience and passion of American agriculturalists.

Veritas Award
Image courtesy of American Agri-Women

A seasoned advocate for agriculture, Radke has spent nearly two decades traveling nationwide to defend the livelihood of farming families, promote rural business vitality, and ensure access to safe, abundant food. A former National FFA Extemporaneous Speaking Champion and National Beef Ambassador, she continues to educate and inspire through her writing, speaking, and entrepreneurial endeavors.

Radke’s contributions extend beyond the ranch. She has also been a leading advocate against the controversial CO2 pipeline project in South Dakota, where her efforts were pivotal in organizing opposition to Senate Bill 201.

Radke described the legislation as a “land grab” that tramples private property rights and local governance in favor of corporate interests. The organization believes that Radke’s leadership in this campaign reflects her unwavering commitment to protecting rural communities and the rights of landowners.

She also hosts The Heart of Rural America podcast and radio show, is a syndicated columnist, and is a children’s book author focused on fostering agricultural understanding among youth.

As a cattle industry consultant with CK6 and co-founder of the auction platform Bid On Beef, Radke exemplifies innovation in agriculture. She also serves on the National Agriculture Campaign Advisory Council, offering insights to the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee.

Diversity in Agriculture
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Arizona sues Saudi-owned company over groundwater use

DAILY Bites

  • Arizona’s lawsuit claims that excessive groundwater pumping threatens La Paz County.
  • Saudi-owned Fondomonte Arizona extracted 31,000 acre-feet of water in 2023 for Saudi alfalfa exports.
  • Arizona seeks to halt pumping and establish an abatement fund.

DAILY Discussion

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit against Fondomonte Arizona, LLC, a Saudi-owned company that had leased the state’s farmland to grow alfalfa in La Paz County.

The lawsuit alleges the company’s excessive groundwater pumping in La Paz violates Arizona’s public nuisance law by threatening communities’ public health, safety, and infrastructure in the Ranegras Plain Basin in La Paz County.

The complaint, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, also alleges that Fondomonte’s actions have had widespread effects, including declining groundwater levels and escalating land subsidence — harming everyone reliant on the Basin for water.

According to Mayes, these actions constitute a public nuisance under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2917, defined as any activity that injures health, obstructs property use, or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by a community.

“Fondomonte’s unsustainable groundwater pumping has caused devastating consequences for the Ranegras Plain Basin, putting the health and future of the residents of La Paz County at risk,” said Mayes. “Arizona law is clear: No company has the right to endanger an entire community’s health and safety for its own gain.”

The lawsuit alleges that since 2014, Fondomonte has extracted extraordinary amounts of groundwater — approximately 31,196 acre-feet in 2023 alone — to grow alfalfa for export to Saudi Arabia.

For comparison, one-acre foot can supply water to three single-family homes for an entire year. Mayes says that this excessive pumping has significantly accelerated the depletion of the Basin’s aquifer.

The state of Arizona is seeking a court order to declare Fondomonte’s activities a public nuisance, enjoin the company from further excessive groundwater pumping, and require the establishment of an abatement fund.

Image by B Brown, Shutterstock

After Saudi Arabia dried up its own aquifers, Fondomonte purchased 10,000 acres near Vicksburg, Arizona, and an additional 2,000 acres around Blythe, California. 

Arizona’s governor, Katie Hobbs, announced her intent to terminate the leases with Fondomonte in October 2023.  Then, on March 7, 2024, it was noted that the state terminated the company’s leases and stopped the groundwater pumping in the Butler Valley.

Although the company lost its leases from the state, Fondomonte applied for and received approval for a new well on its dairy last summer.

Arizona’s alfalfa yields are some of the highest in the world — the state produces an average of 8.3 tons of alfalfa per acre compared to the national average of 3.2 tons. State 48’s climate means they can produce eight to 10 cuttings per year, but while Arizona has plenty of sunshine days (generally around 300), water is a precious commodity.

Fondomonte had used the leases to grow alfalfa and then exported it to feed dairy cattle in Saudi Arabia — 8,100 miles away. The country has moved a large portion of its alfalfa production to the United States in response to limited aquifers and a growing dairy sector.

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