Country World recently sat down with Agricen President & CEO Mike Totora to discuss the Company’s history, research and biochemical approach to making plant nutrition more efficient and sustainable:

"We're making fertilizer more efficient," Totora said. "Farmers who use their starter fertilizers and add our product get an associated yield bump. On the nitrogen side, there have been some impressive studies. We've seen a reduction in nitrate leaching and an increased crop response."

This fall, the University of North Texas and Agricen announced that they will be collaborating on research into plant-microbe relationships in agricultural systems. Employing next-generation sequencing, the joint research program will focus on better understanding the role that microbial diversity plays in building and sustaining crop production.

As a company, we care about doing things the right way — from producing quality fertilizer catalyst products that help growers improve sustainability in the field to improving our own practices at our Pilot Point, Texas, headquarters.

As our company grows, so does our demand for resources – especially water. This is a challenge for producers of all kinds, whether growers or product manufacturers, particularly as companies look for more ways to be “green” and incorporate sustainable practices. It is even more of a pressing challenge in places like Texas, where water conservation is important because of frequent periods of drought.