The Power of Grower-Driven Innovation

The most transformative ideas in agriculture rarely start in a laboratory or design studio. They grow from the ground up.

When it comes to innovation in crop nutrition, ICL is committed to helping growers boost yields and improve efficiency. While launching new products is part of that mission, our primary goal is finding solutions to the challenges that growers face.

When I am out in the field and see firsthand how our products make a difference, it’s the most rewarding part of my job. Besides helping growers improve their operations, we’re also solving bigger challenges by reducing agriculture’s environmental impact.

Cultivating Ideas

Each innovative product or process starts with an idea and ICL actively seeks input on ways to improve. Everyone on the team, from agronomists and chemists to those in operations and even suppliers, are encouraged to offer their ideas.

Agronomists study crops and soils to understand what growers need today and what they might need in the future. For instance, soil pH is gradually increasing in the Great Plains. ICL agronomists are talking to growers to understand how that will affect their irrigation and fertilizer systems and how we can help. Our Technical Sales Managers – some who are farmers themselves – work closely with growers and know firsthand the crop nutrition challenges they face.

When one of our team members brings forth an idea, we dig deeper to understand more about the issue driving the request so we can provide practical solutions that work in the systems where they will be implemented. We can also determine if a solution is best suited for one region or if it might be useful in other areas.

Creating Solutions

A good idea is the starting point on the journey to product innovation. With R&D departments around the world and a focus on supporting startups, ICL currently has new products in all stages of development.

We use a stage gate process to ensure that every idea is thoroughly vetted and proven feasible. The process involves collaboration across all aspects of the company.

• Chemists: Calculate formulations, assess compatibility and safety
• Operations: Determine manufacturing requirements and ensure operator safety
• Researchers: Test efficacy and conduct field trials
• Regulatory experts: Ensure compliance with various jurisdictions

At each step, we ask if the product meets growers’ needs. Is it economical? Can it be used in their existing systems? Is it compatible with other products? Each stage is a checkpoint where we determine if it’s a “go” or a “no go.” If at any step, an innovation fails to serve growers, it does not move forward.

The process can seem slow at times, but it also has tremendous benefits. Agronomists and Technical Sales Managers know what to expect when bringing forward potential solutions.  It also ensures every concept we bring to the table is the best it can be.

Reaping Benefits

One innovation that is gaining popularity is controlled release fertilizer (CRF), available in ICL’s Agrocote® and Agroblen® lines. Instead of delivering all the nutrients at once, CRFs release materials over time, so plants can access nutrients throughout the growth cycle. Besides boosting plant growth, this technology also addresses environmental concerns by reducing runoff and leaching.

CRFs help producers save their most precious resource – time because they cut the number of trips across the field and open a larger application window.

ICL’s commitment to innovation isn’t limited to fertilizer products. Education is a cornerstone of our approach because new technology can only benefit growers when they know how to use it. We offer free webinars and engage one-on-one to share technical knowledge and best practices. In turn, growers provide valuable feedback that enables us to continue to develop the answers they need.

Innovation at ICL is driven by listening, learning and responding to challenges. From controlled release fertilizers to educational outreach, we’re committed to helping growers succeed today while preparing for tomorrow.