Yes, the statements of the Future Commission for Agriculture (FCA) on the future of plant nutrition are headlines. If you consider that these were decided unanimously by the commissioners from all interest groups in our agricultural sector, then the statements are groundbreaking for the future of our soils! The visionary goals of everyone in our food system sound like copied from an agricultural textbook. The crucial difference is that the FCA demands or recommends concrete initiatives from politics in order to really implement these goals now. These read like a text for a coalition agreement.
A summary of the FCA’s statements on this topic in German can be found here (https://torsten-spill.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ZKL-Duengerwirtschaft.pdf).
My recommendation is to change your company now, e.g. through …
- More intense engagement with products and methods to curb nitrogen losses
- Increased involvement in the application and storage technology for low-emission fertilization and the use of encapsulated fertilizers
- Entry of manufacturers of mineral fertilizers and additives into the subject of processing, mixing and refining farm manure
- Development and supply of soil-improving auxiliary materials and substrates
- More holistic advice for farms to optimize nitrogen efficiency, including cultivation advice on green manure and permanent land cover
- Increased research and development of biostimulants and foliar fertilizers
- New methods of high-carbon organic fertilization (treatment of sewage sludge, methods of total treatment of slurry)
Here I name just a few points that catch your eye when studying the FCA report. For many companies in the fertilizer industry, especially the specialized medium-sized companies, this can mean a complete strategic change in the business model. Completely new collaborations, e.g. with agricultural machinery manufacturers, plant breeding and plant protectors, are necessary. Managers who have been successful for many years will often have to completely change their thinking.
I would be happy to accompany you if you want to strategically put your company in the fertilizer industry on a new footing. Send me an email (info@torsten-spill.de) if you would like a non-binding in-depth discussion.