Nature Safe: Fertilizers with Deep Roots in Organic Farming

It’s a product line based on the foundation of feeding the soil and a growers’ plants according to the same, proven scientific principles that have driven the parent company for 140 years in the business of repurposing animal byproducts to feed dogs, cats, chickens, and other animals.

And it’s produced using inputs from the world’s leading developer and producer of sustainable organic ingredients.

Nature Safe is a fertilizer brand whose parent company, Darling Ingredients, is a U.S.-based global leader in rendering and processing animal byproducts that was founded in 1882.

Jason Mille, Western Region Business Manager, Nature Safe

“Nature Safe is a company that’s deeply committed to agriculture for the long run,” said Jason Miller, western region business manager for the company. “We’re taking the same technology we’ve used in the agribusiness community to feed animals for decades to feed their plants.”

With corporate offices in Cold Spring, KY, and three strategically located domestic production plants, Nature Safe is producing nutrient-rich, natural, and eco-friendly commercial organic fertilizer products for all soil types and plant nutrition requirements.

The company’s array of fortified and organic fertilizer product formulations provide soil the essential nutrients needed for healthy plant growth and improving overall plant quality in commercial farming.

Nature Safe was launched by Griffin Industries in 1992, and Darling Ingredients acquired the company in 2010 to add to its portfolio in order to provide a reliable supply of high-quality fertilizer for agricultural producers and turf experts from coast to coast.

Growers can choose from 23 different Nature Safe formulations to suit most any soil condition or crop variety. Customized formulations can also be produced for commercial growers with specific requirements.

One of the biggest challenges today, which isn’t unique to the organic fertilizer segment, is the supply chain. Combined with increasing freight rates, market conditions have made many suppliers fall behind in their inventory during the past year.

But Nature Safe is able to rely upon the experience and market position of Darling Ingredients to be there for its customers.

“There have been shortages in fertilizers—both organic and conventional—and Darling is well positioned to be a dependable supplier throughout 2023,” Miller said. “We’re able to deliver a continual, steady supply of protein to the market. Some of our competitors have struggled to meet the growing demand in the organic category.”

Another big issue over the course of the last year has been bird flu, which has decimated the poultry market, causing a supply crunch on manure and feather meal.

Nature Safe plant in Turlock, California

“One of the reassuring things about Darling being the nation’s largest publicly traded rendering company is that we’ve been able to continuously supply the market with feather meal-based fertilizers,” Miller said. “Our value proposition is we are the leader in the protein business. We control the protein from rendering to delivery to the grower. So we can ensure the safety; we can assure quality; we can ensure the supply chain and provide a lot of security because we take the product from start to finish.”

In 2023, the company plans to continue to use its position as a leader in the protein market to consistently supply growers nationwide with the fertilizers they need.

“Looking forward, we plan to help both organic and conventional growers create and maintain sustainable practices by feeding the soil and reducing their carbon footprint,” Miller said. “We believe our fertilizers can help growers feed the growing population in the US and worldwide.”

Nature Safe operates fertilizer production plants in Henderson, KY, in Fremont, NE, and in Turlock, CA. The products are OMRI Listed and are compliant with NOP guidelines. In the Western US, Nature Safe fertilizers are approved for use in organic production by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). LGMA-compliant validation is available upon request.