Best Farming Systems Back in 1999, Best Farming Systems (BFS) began with a simple philosophy – let nature do what it does best. But sometimes she needs a little help. BEST products consist of concentrated plant exudates (sugars), and naturally occurring plant growth hormones. By bacteria sequencing, BFS is able to identify different blends of exudates and naturally occurring plant hormones to stimulate the biology in the soil.
products are now available in five continents and over 30 countries. Most of the field staff are farmers or have been farmers well-equipped to deal with any issues producers throw at them. “Our field staffs are available to crop check and take a look at output production with suggestions for any changes or improvements,” says Thomas. “We are getting a long way away from the days of kitchen table discussions with producers and our company has grown because of our approach to dealing with them directly. With the reduction in extension agrology across the board, our company prides itself in helping to fill that void. “We know producers need consistency in order to plan their input programs. They’re up against weather, commodity prices, trade agreements etc. so we’ve held the line on the cost of our products for over 20 years.” Thomas says Mike Bauer & Sean omas that producers often underuse or overuse fertilizer products when
producers saw a much higher quality feed and higher production,” says Thomas. “With increase in digestibility, producers can either reduce the amount of feed given, or maintain feed levels seeing an increase on the weight of their animals” Near Viking, Alberta Greg Ruzicka and his family crop 1,000 acres and run 80 purebred Red and Black Simmental cattle plus 170 commercial cattle. About 10 years ago, a farm visit from a BFS representative changed the way the family looked at their soil. “We sat at the kitchen table and talked about the product line and how it could help to improve our land and ultimately help us grow healthier crops,” says Ruzicka. “We really have a mixed bag when it comes to soil makeup. We have a lot of salinity problems which prevents the soil from retaining moisture. But, we decided to give the Best products a shot and within a couple of years, we noticed much better root systems in our crop and hay lands. And, over time, we saw an improvement in our saline soils with less water gathering on top of the hardpan and soaking in. “I haven’t used granular fertilizer on the tame hay since. My son used some spray-on fertilizer and granular “Typically, when we for some of his hay land and probably paid three times get into the as much as I did for mine, but my crops were as good, bio-stimulant world, if not better than his. After using BEST products for most products are several years, we’ve brought our poorer crop designed to put a land to the same stage as the good land. If certain type or types of anyone is thinking of using these products for bacteria down into the only a year or two, I wouldn’t recommend it. Best Farming Systems Edmonton Head Office soil while BEST It takes time to see the marked improvements products are formulated to activate the soil’s own trying to balance their in soil health, but it’s worth it.” dormant bacteria,” says Sean Thomas, president of BFS. soil’s needs. The Best The Ruzicka family has really noticed an “We refer to it as a signal to the soil to activate and Farming Systems increase in protein levels on their hay land since increase its own micronutrients. flagship product TM Ag using Best TM Ag. If the moisture conditions “Intensive farming practices break down the is a popular nutrient are right, they will put two passes of product microbial vitality of the soil and, over time, require more delivery process among down which costs a total of $10 - $12 per acre and more inputs to achieve similar results year after year. producers which which he figures is a reasonable investment. Putting nutrients down to grow plants and plant matter stimulates and activates Over the past few years, the family added is great, but if the soil doesn’t have the right biological bacteria in the soil. “The swath grazing and pasture rotation to further makeup to metabolize those nutrients, massive bacteria help to convert their efforts to improve the land and reduce amounts of efficiency is lost. Whether we are talking man-made fertilizers into their feed costs. about canola, triticale, hay crops or raising cattle, it all plant-available nutrients Since fertilizer is one of the most costly boils down to efficiency levels which translate into more and helps to unlock First cut on 10 year old stand of hay inputs used in growing both crops and forages, profitability.” nutrients that are already it is of utmost importance to ensure that every Sean Thomas and his partner Mike Bauer seized the in the soil, but not necessarily plant-available,” he dollar spent shows a return on investment, but a bonus opportunity to purchase the Best Farming Systems continues. “It also helps to improve nitrogen fixation is the constant improvement of soil health. When Company (BFS) about four years ago, intent on taking and limit the amount of leaching of inorganic fertilizers. BEST fertilizer is efficiently used, it increases a whole it to the international stage. The partners recognized It aids in increasing the rate of organic matter laundry list of benefits: yield and organic matter, that the BEST formula appealed to progressive farmers decomposition so the soil is able to reclaim nutrients improved aeration and aggregate size, better water and ranchers worldwide looking to improve the quicker. Over time, enhanced microbial activity in the holding capacity, plus added frost, drought and disease regenerative makeup of their soil. They immediately soil can lead to higher organic activity in the soil, a resistance. restructured the company in order to expand their neutralizing of the pH and a more productive soil.” The product lineup is broken down into categories international reach throughout North America, Through research in Canada and universities abroad, for soil rejuvenation and seed germination, TM Ag (soil Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa and Asia. Here the company discovered that by using TM Ag (their supplement), pH plus (for saline soil) and cAL Maxxx in Canada, the Edmonton-based company products prebiotic bio stimulant) it can also increase digestibility (for soil treatment). There is also a full line of crop treat more than one million acres of crop and forage on average of 15% for both cattle and bison feed. TM specific foliar fertilizers for in crop nutrition that can be land and about the same number of acres Ag is applied during the growing season to crops. It is blended with most chemicals and fungicides. internationally. easy to use and is tank mixable with almost every other Best Farming Practices employs 27 people at their product in the agricultural world. by Bonnie Warnyca re-printed from Alberta Beef magazine head office and manufacturing facility in Edmonton, “We did forage digestibility trials with Peace Country Alberta and a total of 110 worldwide. The BEST Beef and Forage and found that cattle and bison Page 14
Angus World
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