At Commodity Classic, Shane Brockhoff, director of sales for the central United States at Meristem Crop Performance, said the company’s mission is straightforward: help farmers lower the cost of production without sacrificing results.

“Across our entire portfolio, whether it’s adjuvants, nitrogen stabilizers, planter box biologicals, seed treatments or other crop inputs, we’re trying to find ways to reduce unnecessary costs,” Brockhoff said.

One major way the company is addressing that goal is through concentrated products designed to reduce shipping and distribution expenses.

“One of the biggest wastes in agriculture is transporting water,” Brockhoff said. “With our concentrates, we ship the active ingredients and farmers add the water locally. That helps cut freight costs and simplifies the supply chain.”

Among the products highlighted at the show was Meristem’s concentrated starter fertilizer system, part of the company’s Upshift® product line.

The dry soluble starter fertilizer concentrate can be mixed with water on the farm, allowing growers to avoid transporting large volumes of liquid fertilizer across the country. The system uses enzyme technology designed to unlock nutrients in the soil and improve nutrient availability for crops.

“That concentrate can be shipped much more efficiently,” Brockhoff explained. “Farmers can mix it with water on their own operation rather than paying to ship water across the United States.”

Biological crop inputs are an important area of focus for the company. Brockhoff said Meristem’s biological products are delivered through the company’s Bio-Capsule system, which helps protect and deliver living microbes to the field.

“These biologicals can help unlock nutrients that are already present in the soil,” he said. “Farmers often have a huge pool of nutrients in their fields. The goal is to enhance the natural processes that convert organic material into plant-available nutrients.”

In addition to improving nutrient availability, some biological products are designed to provide what the company calls “bio-defense,” helping protect crops from pests and disease through biological or naturally derived compounds.

The company also continues to offer products in traditional categories like adjuvants and seed treatments, but with an emphasis on efficiency.

“The adjuvant space has a lot of similar products,” Brockhoff said. “Our goal is to cut out unnecessary distribution costs while still delivering strong performance.”

For many growers, the biggest concern heading into the coming crop year is profitability.

“The biggest challenge farmers are facing right now is the bottom line,” Brockhoff said. “They’re trying to find ways to save money while still producing a good crop.”

According to Brockhoff, Meristem’s system of concentrated products and direct-to-farmer distribution can help farmers reduce costs significantly.

“When you look at the whole system, farmers can often save around $80 an acre or more,” he said. “That’s a big deal when you’re managing thousands of acres.”

The company’s growth in recent years suggests farmers are taking notice.

“We’re growing very quickly, and that doesn’t happen without results,” Brockhoff said. “Farmers may appreciate saving money, but they still need products that perform. If the results weren’t there, growers wouldn’t come back.”

Looking ahead, Brockhoff said Meristem continues to invest heavily in biological technologies, particularly in the area of biological crop protection.

“One of the fastest-growing areas we’re researching is bio-defense, bringing more biological pesticides and similar innovations to the market,” he said. “We think that space is going to grow rapidly in the coming years.”

At the same time, he expects the company’s direct-to-farmer approach to continue gaining traction as farm operations grow larger and seek greater efficiency.

“As farms get bigger, they’re looking for ways to streamline their operations and reduce unnecessary costs,” Brockhoff said. “Buying more directly and cutting out some of the middle steps can help accomplish that.”

Farmers interested in learning more about the company’s products can visit meristemag.com or connect with representatives through the company’s dealer network.