Farmers are always thinking about the future. The next week’s weather, the next season’s crop, the land they’ll pass to the next generation - looking forward is in their nature.
That’s why growers take care of their soil. Sustainable management of soils can lead to a 58% increase in production. Increased soil health is associated with greater nutrient retention and less leaching of nutrients like nitrogen into the surrounding environment.
A new tool, nitrogen-fixing microbes, pairs existing soil health practices with precision nutrient management to have a substantial impact on reducing fertilizer inputs while improving productivity. Since the early 1930s, farms have relied on chemical fertilizers to provide nitrogen to their crops. Without any other options, growers depended on repeated application of chemical nitrogen fertilizer to ensure their fields were productive. 40% of the Earth’s land surface is dedicated to agriculture and this intense application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer has contributed to water and air pollution as well as depleted microbial diversity in the soil.
Without a robust microbial community, soil becomes dirt. Chemical nitrogen fertilizer has microbes burning through the carbon that makes soil able to hold nutrients, water, and roots. It can become sodden, airless, and compacted. We're now at a critical turning point, and with the help of new technologies that facilitate more sustainable farming practices, we can restore soil health and improve farm productivity to ease food shortages.
At Pivot Bio, we are focused on delivering a better nitrogen for farmers. We are part of the solution to complex issues facing the agriculture industry. It will require innovation and collaboration across the agriculture industry. What we can count on is that farmers will take every opportunity to improve the health of their land, increase its longevity, and in turn produce healthier crops for generations to come.
