Humic products as Biostimulants: “Helping people Help the land”

Humic products as Biostimulants: “Helping people Help the land” 

A Leading Role of NLAE in National Humic Products Conference with Keynote speaker Dr. Candiss Williams, NRCS, National Soil Health Specialist 

Humic products are a type of biostimulants, which are gaining increasing attraction in horticultural and agronomic sectors as a means to improve plant growth and economic return. On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the Humic Products Trade Association (HPTA), representing the humic product industry in the U.S. and Canada, held its annual business meeting in Des Moines, Iowa.  About 40 persons participated, mostly corporate members of the HPTA. The meeting included a series of research presentations that were co-organized by Dr. Dan Olk Acting Research leader and senior scientist of the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE).  They addressed uses of humic products in the turf industry, possible physiological mechanisms through which humic products improve plant growth, and improved laboratory assays for humic product content and composition.  Dr. Olk a national leader on humic products gave two presentations: long-term soil benefits of humic product application; and life accomplishments of the late Professor Michael Hayes (Ireland), a founding member of the International Humic Substances Society. The keynote speaker of the meeting was Dr. Candiss Williams, the National Soil Health Specialist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). She discussed the suitability of NRCS soil programs for humic product users and possible directions for future interactions between NRCS and the HPTA. Subsequently a panel that included Mr. Dana Dinnes of NLAE discussed on-farm applications of humic products and considered potential details of future interactions between NRCS and humic product end users. Both NRCS and the HPTA expressed interest in further developing collaboration.