MustGrow Biologics Corp. (TSX-V:MGRO , OTCQB:MGROF)'s achievement of an organic compliance certification from the USDA National Organic Program for its TerraSante biofertilizer is a significant achievement as it allows the company to enter the growing organic food marketplace.
The company’s chief operating officer Colin Bletsky told Proactive that organic growers are fairly limited on what they can use in their production, essentially using food-grade material to feed their plants and animals.
“The initial registration with the USDA organics will help play into the state-by-state registrations and shows the safety of our product,” he said.
“We’re hopeful those registrations will come in sooner rather than later and we can move towards the commercialization stage and getting [our product] with growers.”
Bletsky explained that by improving the soil microbiome, Terra Asante allows plants to improve their nutrient uptake which, in turn, results in reduced water use and a higher yield.
He likened the fertilizer to a probiotic a human may consume to remedy gastrointestinal issues.
“If your stomach is not well, you don’t have the right bugs in your soil,” he said. “You’re not healthy, you’re not taking up as much nutrients, you’re not taking up everything you need.”
With the USDA organic certification for TerraSante in hand, MustGrow is targeting areas with high-value fruit and vegetable production of foods like potatoes and carrots in the states of Washington, Oregon, Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas.
“My goal down the line would be to get into soybean, corn and those types of regions and the ice states,” Bletsky told Proactive.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based MustGrow is an agriculture biotechnology company developing organic biocontrol, soil amendment and biofertility products by harnessing the natural defence mechanism and organic materials of the mustard plant.
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