When you took this new leadership role, what was the most compelling appeal of Ostara as a company?
As a bit of background, I was the first employee of Koch Agronomic Services and was there for the Agrotain acquisition. I will tell you, phosphorus is the next nitrogen. People are becoming much more conscious about it being a finite resource. Since it’s a heavily applied fall nutrient, phosphorus efficiency is becoming a big focus. And we have a real game-changer product.
Let’s talk about Crystal Green and what its agronomic performance has been like.
It’s the most efficient, sustainable and economic form of phosphate out there. We’re at an inflection point in the business. Our technology in Crystal Green is a soil health play. It has a lower salt index, and with a focus on microbials, there’s a need to create an environment where they can be more robust. Also, producers want to avoid any leaching of traditional MAP. When Crystal Green is applied, it stays available until the crop pulls nutrients on demand. MAP is 10% to 30% efficient; whereas we have data and trials showing 95% efficiency from Crystal Green. From an agronomic perspective, when you are getting 95% effectiveness, instead of 10% or 30%, you’re managing that acre and you’re getting the most out of that input.
The company’s first full production plant in St. Louis is online. Where is the product going now?
We are in an exciting phase of commercialization. Our agronomic message is resonating with people, and we’re continuing to get a positive reception. There are a lot of complexities in the fertilizer business, but retailers are finding we are a reliable supplier with our increased capacities, our product stores incredibly well in the bin, and if they want to blend our product, it’s great for that, too.
Where do you want the company to be one year from now?
We are trying to focus more on the economic return of the product. We aren’t asking the grower to spend more on phosphate but instead get more available units of phosphorus on their crop. We have the data to back up why this product is a smart choice and can absolutely be a primary source of phosphate. This isn’t a specialty or niche product.
What do you want ag retailers to understand about the product?
It’s a perfect fit to replace your existing phosphate fertilizer. We’ve got the data and science to show it’ll be there when you need it. Many of our retailers have found they can cover more acres in the fall because of the increased efficiencies and less overall tons. And we need to deepen the supply of the phosphate pool out there with more alternatives and tools in the toolbox.
