About Bactifeed
Side by side fields in Yuma Arizona, irrigated the same time.
One field treated with Bactifeed, the other field not.
Which would you rather farm?
What is Bactifeed and why was it created?
The Bactifeed Soil Treatment System focuses on the biological, organic and nutrient value of your soil. As we build these vital systems in soil structure we have found that most other problems will be reduced or go away all together, making a healthier growing environment for plant growth.
What we do is not entirely new, farmers have been incorporating some sort of biological or organic practices into to their farming for years. Some of the most common practices include the application of manures and compost. Over the years there have been many products developed that will stimulate biological activity and/or apply organic acids to the soil.
After working with many of these products for over 20 years I have seen many promising results produced in varying degrees with each of them. In 2004, at the request of several of the farmers I had been working with, I was asked to combine what I had learned over the years and develop a system that would produce faster results, address most soil problems, cost less per acre and was easy to apply.
The resulting product is the Bactifeed Soil Treatment System, a program that allows a farmer to produce and apply hundreds of gallons of a liquid rich in biologically active microorganisms on every acre, through the irrigation water.
There is a symbiotic relationship between the soil bacteria within the soils ecosystem, the use of Bactifeed compliments this balance. Bactifeed has a variety of bacteria, fungals and enzymes in it, the actual effectiveness is dependent on soil conditions and the environment. The introduction of the biological package in Bactifeed focuses largely on addressing the immediate needs of the soil to help bring it back into a working balance. The soil is not just reliant on one or two specific strains of bacteria, but a vast variety of bacteria, fungals, insect, organic material, and much more, each having a purpose and a part in the process of making soil healthy.
Though most of the bacteria in Bactifeed will not survive long in their new soil environment their primary purposes is being served every time Bactifeed is introduced into the soil. Along with the biological benefits there are many positive side effects Bactifeed has in the soil, these include the production of organic acid, enzymes, carbons, bio-stimulants, proteins, and much more. By continually applying Bactifeed the soils life and energy continues to improves increasing water penetration, water retention, buffering salts and toxic residues. It will also stimulate the root system, and help to make nutrients more available.
What is the Bactifeed system and how does it work? The Bactifeed system is aimed at building the soil structure through the introduction and stimulation of the biological active within the soil.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website in the section labeled “Soil” there is given a great explanation of why we need to care for our soil.
“Healthy Soil for Life”
Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations. To do this, we need to remember that soil contains living organisms that when provided the basic necessities of life - food, shelter, and water - perform functions required to produce food and fiber.
“Only "living" things can have health, so viewing soil as a living ecosystem reflects a fundamental shift in the way we care for our nation's soils. Soil isn’t an inert growing medium, but rather is teaming with billions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that are the foundation of an elegant symbiotic ecosystem. Soil is an ecosystem that can be managed to provide nutrients for plant growth, absorb and hold rainwater for use during dryer periods, filter and buffer potential pollutants from leaving our fields, serve as a firm foundation for agricultural activities, and provide habitat for soil microbes to flourish and diversify to keep the ecosystem running smoothly.”
USDA NRCS website Soil Health
Farming practices have come a long way over the last 30 years in addressing how to rebuild the soil and create a healthier environment for todays agriculture. Not long ago anyone who talked about rebuilding the soil through the use of “soil bacteria” was jokingly referred to as a “Snake Oil” salesman. Now, soil biology has become an important part of farming practices.
When Bactifeed was developed over a decade ago, there were several challenges addressed. They included how to develop a product that could rebuild the soil by introducing live bacteria back into the soil, stimulate the biological activity that was already there, breakdown the crop residue left behind and convert it into usable organic-matter and humid acids and in the process change the soil structure to increase water penetration and retention. As these challenges were met many other benefits have been realized from the use of Bactifeed over the years, from buffering toxic residue and salts in the soil, to helping to make nutrients more available to plant uptake, improving quality of the crop.
“Soil Biology"
The creatures living in the soil are critical to soil health. They affect soil structure and therefore soil erosion and water availability. They can protect crops from pests and diseases. They are central to decomposition and nutrient cycling and therefore affect plant growth and amounts of pollutants in the environment. Finally, the soil is home to a large proportion of the world's genetic diversity.”
USDA NRCS website Soil Biology
Today Bactifeed has expanded from its basic soil package a variety of products helping with soil, compost and dairy lagoon, turf and home garden.