Magna-Bon Looking Forward to Getting in Front of More Customers

Magna-Bon, a family-owned-and-operated company that produces a wide range of exceptional agricultural products, recently partnered with Custom Ag Formulators, enabling the company to have more boots on the ground.

“We utilize their sales representatives where we can focus on providing an exceptional OMRI Listed copper sulfate pentahydrate to the industry,” said Chad Gillyard, managing director of the Okeechobee, FL-based company.

Magna-Bon solutions have widespread applications and are highly potent replacements to toxic chemicals. With the rapid spread of citrus canker disease throughout Florida, Magna-Bon has been working diligently to help growers with safe and cost-effective solutions that will help to protect crops and profitability.

“The company started when Frank Miele realized the potential of the active ingredient for the agriculture industry,” Gillyard said. “Shortly after purchasing Magna-Bon, he created the formula of CS 2005 for the Florida citrus industry to help battle citrus canker. After a very short time, CS 2005 was used on over half of the citrus acreage to combat canker disease.”

Chad Gillyard with Frank Miele, CEO of Magna-Bon

Magna-Bon offers an OMRI Listed copper sulfate pentahydrate in-solution formula to control disease in a variety of specialty fruits, vegetables, citrus, and tree nuts. With this formula, the company is able to reduce the amount of metallic copper a grower will spray per acre compared to conventional copper.

Magna-Bon solutions have widespread applications and are highly potent replacements to toxic chemicals.

“With CS 2005, you will have less of an environmental impact, which in turn affects the yields and bottom line for the grower,” Gillyard said.

The company’s formula is unique from its competition because its systemic capabilities does what no other copper can do, which is combat disease with copper-resistant strands with the least amount of copper per acre—one quarter pound compared to several pounds.

Grapes in the 2021 UC Davis Grape Powdery Mildew Fungicide Efficacy Trials

For organic growers, this means less impact on the environment, with no visible residue and zero days to harvest.

Magna-Bon’s CEO Frank Miele attributes the company’s success to its ability to make better products and its commitment to growers.

Frank Miele, CEO, Magna-Bon

“Our biggest secret is that all of our comments to growers or distributors are backed up by actual university research, which is probably second to none,” he said. “It’s one thing when you go to a private lab and have them do trials, and it doesn’t work out, and you start all over until you get one that works. You don’t know whether it was weather conditions that were better and it worked, and then when you get out in the real deal with the real farms, it doesn’t work.”

In 2023, the company plans to expand its in-person events to see customers and to have quite a few new research trials with UC-Davis, Cornell University, and UGA with the tree fruit, citrus, and tree nut markets.

“We increased the number of in-person events such as the Organic Grower Summit, CAPCA, and various other events to provide the educational element to the distributors and growers,” Gillyard said. “We see 2023 as an opportunity to get in front of even more customers than we did in 2022. We’re expanding our tradeshow calendar, and you’ll have an opportunity to see us at a tradeshow in your area.”

“Our biggest secret is that all of our comments to growers or distributors are backed up by actual university research, which is probably second to none.” - Chad Gillyard

The company has more outstanding research coming out by the end of the year, including work with pecans and blueberries.

“We’re looking forward to expanding our current partnerships with our distribution partners, growers, and various media/associations,” Gillyard said.