AgroPages-MustGrow accelerates California sales and marketing efforts for TerraSanteᵀᴹ biofertility product-Agricultural news

MustGrow Biologics Corp. (TSXV:MGRO) (OTC:MGROF) (FRA:0C0) (the ″Company″ or ″MustGrow″) announced participation in Cal Poly Strawberry Field Day. MustGrow will be promoting its mustard-derived organic biofertility product TerraSante™ at Cal Poly on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Hundreds of strawberry growers, researchers and industry representatives from all over California (and beyond) gather annually for Strawberry Field Day. Strawberries represent a US$2.68 billion annual production business for California growers.⁽¹⁾

TerraSante™ for Soil and Ecological Health

MustGrow’s soil amendment and biofertility development programs focus on soil microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields. Soil is a farmer’s most valuable asset, and MustGrow’s mustard plant-based technologies are being developed with the intention to improve not only the health of the soil, but also the surrounding ecological environment.

As an organic biofertilizer in soluble mixable form, TerraSante™ contains nutritious plant proteins and carbohydrates that feed the soil and soil microbes, potentially improving beneficial microbial activity and ensuring long-term sustainable soil health. These targeted micro-communities have been shown to work to improve nutrient availability, which can potentially increase plant vigor and yields, while reducing plant stress. TerraSante™ has the potential to improve crop nutrient uptake and, hence, overall crop performance. There are no artificial additives or preservatives used during its manufacturing.

Key California Sales Addition

To complement and accelerate MustGrow’s current California sales efforts with BioAg Product Strategies, MustGrow has engaged the services of 17-year Nutrien sales veteran, Michael Atkins, an agronomist with two decades of experience in Coastal California. Atkins holds two Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Soil Science from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. At Nutrien, Atkins gave specialized agronomic advice to 60 pest control advisers from Southern California to Mendocino County, conducted small plot research trials on new products, and presented results to Coastal Division Branch Managers and Pest Control Advisors. Additionally, Atkins was responsible for nutrient management, investigation of crop claims, root cause analysis, and loss mitigation strategies.

In May 2024, MustGrow announced receipt of the California Department of Food Agriculture registration approval for its organic biofertility product TerraSante™, and also organic certification from California’s Organic Input Material (OIM) Program, a specific California requirement beyond MustGrow’s existing Organic OMRI Listed^® certifications in Oregon and Washington State. MustGrow’s California registration and organic certification is a key pillar in the commercialization strategy with BioAg Product Strategies. In addition to California, and recently-awarded Oregon and Washington State, MustGrow expects to continue its efforts towards further state-level registrations in other pertinent U.S. states.

The Market Opportunity in California

In the U.S., over a third of vegetables and nearly three-quarters of fruits and nuts are grown in California. In 2022, the market value of agricultural products sold in California totaled US$59.0 billion, up US$13.8 billion from 2017. Relevant categories for TerraSante™ include:

Grapes — US$5.54 billion
Almonds — US$3.52 billion
Lettuce — US$3.15 billion
Strawberries — US$2.68 billion
Pistachios — US$1.86 billion
Tomatoes — US$1.46 billion
Carrots — US$1.11 billion

California organic product sales totaled US$14.0 billion in 2021, an increase of 16.4 percent from the prior year. Organic production encompasses over 2.13 million acres in the state.⁽²⁾ MustGrow believes its TerraSante™ organic biofertility product will position California farmers to meet increasing demand for organic, local, and healthy produce.

Sources:

(1)https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/#:~:text=Over%20a%20third%20of%20the,the%202022%20crop%20year%20are%3A&text=Dairy%20Products%2C%20Milk%20—%20%2410.40%20billion,Cattle%20and%20Calves%20—%20%243.63%20billion

(2)https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/PDFs/2022_Organics_Publication.pdf