Derek Martin, Martin Family Farms
My name is Derek Martin and I raise corn and soybeans in Central Illinois with my father Jeff and my brother Doug on Martin Family Farms. On our farm, we have always believed and practiced conservation to protect our soils as well as our investment in those soils. A few years ago, our agronomist introduced us to biologicals. At this time, we were already experimenting with things like cover crops to improve our soil health as well capture what nutrients we left behind. He explained to us what they did and why they are important to getting to that next level of profitability in farming and making our soils healthier for years to come. Improving soil health and biology cannot happen overnight, and we understood that, but after the first year of trying biologicals we saw a difference and one bean field was a 15 bushel difference. So the following year we increased the amount of acres we used biologicals on and started to decrease our total nitrogen and our fall applied fertilizers. That next fall, we saw the same results as the previous year, and we did not have a drop in yield despite decreasing the amount of nitrogen and fertilizer we put on. In fact, one of our farms, we saw a 40 bushel increase over our check in corn. We were then introduced to AgriBio Sytems.
We use AgriBio systems on 100% of our acres. The products that AgriBio Systems offer are top notch and the focus on the quality of their products cannot be beat. The knowledge of the AgriBio Systems staff is unbelievable. The staff has spent countless hours with us along the way explaining every fine detail about this process and their products to help make our farm more profitable, healthier, and knowledgeable. Between AgriBio Systems products and staff, we have been able to reduce nitrogen and fertilizer applied as well as increase yields. The reason we have been able to do all these things on our farm, is because we have improved our soil biology and soil health. By doing this, we are able to use the nutrients that exist in our soil and make them readily available for our crops to help ensure they can get what they need when they need it. If you believe in healthier soils, healthier crops, and sustaining your farm for future generations, AgriBio Systems can help you get there.
Blake Waggener, Waggener Brothers Farms
We have been working with AgriBio Systems since its inception. I had become frustrated with my Co-Op agronomist/retailer for two reasons. First, it felt like they were not concerned with my profitability anymore and were only concerned about trying to make sales. Second, I was not seeing any yield improvements from all the additional things they suggested and we were doing along with spending more money to try to boost yield.
Agribio Systems brought an entirely different way of thinking that I had not been accustomed to before in farming. They are extremely good at educating you and explaining what you are seeing in your fields when you are scouting.
I have the benefit of having several custom farms that use many different agronomic practices. Conventional tillage, strip tillage, and even no tillage. These same farms also have many different approaches to seed and chemicals. I get to see it all, and it has been a benefit when I see what we had adopted with AgriBio Systems coming to fruition. I have not seen any negative impacts from what we are doing compared to my custom farms' practices. In fact, I have seen a dramatic improvement in our own crops. It has been amazing watching my soil structure improve to the point where the typical “wet holes” in our fields have started shrinking and some completely disappearing. I have watched our plant health increase tremendously. Neighboring farmers have approached me and asked me what we are doing and why our fields look so good during times of stress.
It has been a battle at times struggling with internal doubt that accompanies adopting new ways of doing things, along with the naysayers who criticize what you are doing. However, each year I learn something new from this group and continue to see improvements on our farm. I am very grateful to have started this journey with AgriBio Systems and appreciate the benefits I get to see every single year on our farm.
