Beer, Bourbon & Fertilizer

At first glance, the three categories in the headline would appear to have nothing to tie them together, but in fact, fermentation is the common thread and Nicholasville, Kentucky-based Alltech company has an interest in all three.

Founded by Irish scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons in 1980, as an opportunity to apply his expertise in yeast fermentation to animal nutrition, today Alltech operates in more than 120 countries with products in animal nutrition, food and beverage and crop science.  Its crop science division distributes its biological fertilizer products in more than 34 countries around the world.

Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder, Alltech 

Recently, Dr. Steven Borst, general manager of Alltech’s crop science division, discussed the company’s entry into the world of agronomics and some of the products the company has to offer organic growers of fruits and vegetables.  Interestingly, the crop science division came about somewhat by accident, as some of the animal nutrition material found its way on some crops and produced impressive results.  Subsequently, the development of fertilizers using the same basic fermentation process to develop animal feed resulted in some useful products that have proven to be effective. 

The company now offers a suite of products utilizing microbial fermentation and nutrigenomics to improve the health of crops, resulting in greater yields.  The company’s website includes a testimonial from Gold Coast Farms in Santa Maria, CA, extolling the virtues of Alltech products and specifically stating that the products helped with a variety of crops including cilantro and broccoli.  Another video on the website features tomato grower Don Donavan of Murphy & Sons who credited the Alltech products for creating a superior root structure and improving yields.  “You have healthy roots, you have healthy plants,” he said.

Dr. Steven Borst, general manager, Alltech Crop Science Division

The firm’s products are certified for use on organic crop production as the development process basically uses beneficial microbes and the metabolites they naturally produce to create new, naturally-derived alternatives to conventional chemicals.  The company’s website proclaims “improved crop quality and yields with biologicals products means sustainability doesn’t have to come at the expense of profitability.”

Jon Collison, who is a technical sales manager for Alltech in California, said the Alltech products have been very well received in the field.  He listed a handful of crops on which they have performed well including onions, cilantro, berries, broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes.  He said organic growers have noted both the in-field performance and the fact that these products are biological and as such are beneficial to the soil and environment. 

Jon Collison, technical sales manager, Alltech California

“We’ve gotten great response from organic growers,” he said.  “There is a long list of products that they can’t use, so organic growers are always eager to try something new that they can use.”

Dr. Borst revealed that Alltech’s top market for its biologicals is Brazil.  He said the company began marketing these products to Brazilian growers in the early 2000s and have had good success.  He noted that the regulatory environment in Brazil is easier to navigate, which is why these products were introduced to growers in that country first.  “We got an early foothold in Brazil as there were many early adopters of our products,” Dr. Borst said.

In Brazil, growers of coffee plants and melons were the earliest users, but since then sales have expanded to many other crops including citrus and sugarcane.

In the United States, Alltech has teamed with Simplot, which is a distributor of its fertilizer products. Dr. Borst said Alltech products are priced competitively as both conventional and organic growers utilize them.  In fact, he said the company did not set out to produce an organic fertilizer.  It is a solution-oriented company and its solution happens to be a product that can be certified for use by organic growers.  He noted that the firm’s research and development department continues to work in the same environment looking for other agronomic solutions.

And now for the beer and bourbon connection: Beer has been a longtime passion of the Lyons Family, and Dr. Mark Lyons, the founder’s son and current president and CEO, has a degree in the science of brewing and distilling. In its food and beverage division, the company owns a couple of distilleries and breweries.  In fact, Alltech’s Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.’s signature production is a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.