Questions and Answers

How can I become a successful biological farmer?

As a consulting company, Midwestern Bio-Ag's job is education and information. Our consultants work directly with farmers, offering advice on soils, fertilizers, rotations, tillage, livestock rations - the complete program. They teach, educate, advise and troubleshoot. In addition, we offer winter seminars and round-table meetings, summer field days, a quarterly newsletter, booklets, videos, product information brochures, and our website. We operate our own research farm and learning center near Lone Rock, WI where we test products and practices in real world, on-farm conditions. We pass along solutions that work on our farm and other farms so that you can try them yourself.

Biological, Sustainable, Natural Agriculture: Explain these terms and what they mean on my farm?

The terms overlap, but all refer to working with nature. They are farming systems that take advantage of natural processes which promote good soil, healthy crops, and healthy animals. These natural processes include: crop rotations; best tillage methods; growing green manures; proper livestock manure use; reducing toxins; promoting soil life, and balancing soil minerals. These terms mean using natural systems to improve soil structure; control weeds, pests, and diseases, and improve crop quality.

Quality is health and balance - limiting the excesses as well as the deficiencies. The terms "biological", "sustainable" and "natural" encompass a common sense approach to agriculture: spending dollars where they do the most good, improving quality, reducing long-term input costs, and promoting a cleaner, safer environment.

A note on organic:

Most biological farmers are not organic, although biological farming provides an excellent base for a successful transition to organic farming.

Why the constant reference to "balance" and "limiting factors?"

The terms are related. An optimally productive soil contains a perfect balance of inorganic minerals, organic (carbon-based) materials, and living organisms, all contained within a physical structure that absorbs and holds water to facilitate the natural chemical reactions that feed plants. The above mix is different for each soil. When the soil is out of balance, the crop is too. Crops with mineral deficiencies are more susceptible to disease and insect attack, and don’t supply all the nutrients livestock eating the crop need.

To balance a soil, we take samples to determine its current condition, and then recommend corrective products and actions that will work within your budget and farm management style. We use only natural-based fertilizer materials that contain not only nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but also calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and boron. Balancing a soil includes changing the calcium/magnesium ratio towards 70-75% saturation of calcium and 15% magnesium. That ratio creates a more favorable environment for soil life and promotes better soil structure as well. As your soils achieve balance, you will need to buy fewer crop nutrients, which lowers input costs.

We encourage using animal manures and 'green manure' cover crops, and show you how to do so for maximum gain. These practices add organic matter to soils, providing food for helpful micro-organisms. When the bacteria complete their life cycle and decompose, they become food for crops and forages.

When we speak of 'limiting factors,' we mean that the productivity of a soil can never be greater than the plant food element in least supply - just like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Our job as consultants is to find your limiting factors and correct them. Common limiting factors include plant nutrient levels, tight, hard, compacted soils, hardpans, and lifeless soils.

What is a "living soil?"

A living soil is one that teems with a wide variety of microbial life and earthworms. It is sustainable and supports heavy yields of high quality, nutritious crops and forages. Midwestern Bio-Ag's products work to build a healthy soil environment for that "micro-herd" of organisms like bacteria, fungi, and small arthropods. They in turn feed and build strong, healthy plants that are better able to resist diseases, pests, weeds, and adverse weather conditions.

How do fertilizers differ?

Some promote life; others don't! For example, potassium chloride (0-0-60) contains 47% chloride. So when you apply 100 pounds of 0-0-60, you also apply 47 pounds of chloride. Excessive chloride is not a life promoter. It is hard on both soil life and plants. We use potassium sulfate (0-0-50-17S) as a potassium source. It makes a lot of difference.

What is a balanced, high quality fertilizer from Midwestern Bio-Ag's perspective?

Fertilizer is sold by its content of soluble nutrients (NPK); that's the numbers on the bag. But those numbers don't tell the whole story. There's more to fertilizer than just the amount of soluble nutrients: the quality of the ingredients matters, too.

Fertilizer quality can make a big difference in crop performance. Poor quality fertilizers can damage soil structure, soil organisms, and plant roots with high levels of chloride, salts, and ammonia. A high-quality fertilizer is balanced with a proper homogenous blend of needed nutrients; contains natural phosphorus, plant-available calcium and magnesium, and homogenized trace minerals; contains both soluble and slow-release nutrients; is gentle on plant roots and soil life; and has a pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 to maximize plant-availability of the nutrients.

All of Midwestern Bio-Ag's fertilizers are blended following this formula.

Why the emphasis on soil testing?

You can't fix an unknown problem. Our soil tests help pinpoint the source of problems, measuring 16 major, secondary and trace elements, all vital for plant growth. This gives us a place to start the process of addressing limiting factors, recommending specific solutions and explaining why. Soil testing is the backbone of our business. Without it, we have no defined starting point and no way to measure progress.

Why the emphasis on individual consulting?

Every farm's mix of soil, crops, rotations, livestock, equipment, management style, and cash flow is different. Your farm is a unique, individual system - there is no other like it. Therefore, we tailor a ‘whole system’ program to meet your specific needs, including management and budget. The goal is to gradually build soil fertility levels so that quality increases and input costs decrease. You'll notice improvements every year without the losses in production commonly expected from lower input farming systems.

Does Midwestern Bio-Ag use "extras" like biologicals, seed treatments, soil conditioners, etc.?

We recommend extras when we believe they are needed. Proper fertilizer use and tillage gets your farm headed in the right direction, and sometimes the 'extras' can speed up the process by aiding nature's activities.

The "extras" do have their place, and when we recommend them, we do so because we believe they will benefit your farm.

What about fermentation products? Might they have a role on my farm?

You work hard to grow and harvest a quality crop, and fermentation products can help you maintain that quality. Fermentation products do work and can save money in the long run. A good fermentation product contains a fresh, live supply of beneficial organisms in a proper balance, along with enzymes to release the sugars that feed the organisms.

How does biological farming keep my livestock healthy and productive?

A ration that is high in quality forages promotes rumen health and optimum milk and meat production. We recommend high quality feeds supplemented with available high quality minerals and vitamins as needed.

High quality feeds, grown on mineralized, balanced soils, have more minerals along with more animal usable energy. High quality forages are a result of healthy soils.

The 'extras' also have their place in livestock nutrition, including kelp, yeast, chelated trace elements, vitamins, direct fed microbials, bacterial stimulants and enzymes. When it comes to livestock health and productivity, using an ounce of prevention gives you fewer problems, more profit, and puts the fun, and profit, back in farming.

How can I measure success?

There are many ways to judge your success as a biological farmer. Soil tests and crop tissue tests are a good way to look at how the health and nutrient balance of your farm is progressing.

But more importantly, you can observe healthy biology on your farm yourself. You can smell it when you work the soil and inhale that earthy aroma resulting from the respiration of more than 1,000 pounds per acre of actinomycetes. You can feel it by digging in healthy soil, crumbly to the touch. You can get on your hands and knees and count your 'earthworm herd.' After a big rain, you can see that your soil stays in place, rather than washing downstream. You can see it in your animals' shiny coat, bright eyes, healthy demeanor, high productivity, and reproductive efficiency. You'll taste the difference in the sweetness of your corn and alfalfa and the flavor of your beef, pork, lamb, poultry or whatever animal you produce.

You can see success in your positive cash flow, improved net income, and increasing asset value that means a better life. And, lastly, you can measure your success in pride and peace of mind - knowing you didn't exploit your land but will leave your farm in better condition for the next generation.

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