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Live Earth Products, Inc., a father-and-son-run company headquartered in Emery, Utah, provides mineral products that help enrich organic animal feed, and supplies products that can improve soil with the addition of nutrients, improving the performance of fertilizer and the water holding capacity of the soil.
Live Earth Products was founded by David Taylor in the early ’80s, following the notorious Wilberg Mine fire, considered the worst coal mine fire in Utah’s history.
Russell D. Taylor, Vice President, Live Earth Products
“David began seeking other opportunities in the mining industry outside of coal mining and he was prospecting for a group looking for tar sands and oil shale in the San Rafael Swell area,” said Russell D. Taylor, vice president of Live Earth Products. “After locating and reviewing the humate deposit composition, they determined it was not what they were looking for but instead might make a good fertilizer.”
Thus, the company was born. Today, the products Live Earth Products mine and manufacture are of interest to all growers, not just those under organic production.
“Our humates are rich in organic acids, like humic and fulvic acid, which can help improve soil structure and aid in nutrient availability and water retention,” Taylor said. “Being a pioneer in the humic acid industry, we like to say that we were selling humic acid long before it was a buzzword. As a founding member of the Humic Products Trade Association (HPTA) our company is helping to remove the ‘snake oil’ stigma attributed to some products in the humic product industry.”
The main challenges with working in the humic industry, Taylor explained, are working through poor regulation of biostimulants like humic acids and consistency in humic testing methodology.
LiveEarth humate soil conditioner
“Multiple test methods are pervasive in the industry and can make comparing humic products and their observed results difficult,” he said. But with interest among organic growers, the company doesn’t see acceptance as being a problem.
“The humic substance industry will continue to trend with all bistimulants growing at around 12 – 15% CAGR,” Taylor said. “This is representative of previous growth of Live Earth Products over the past decade. Consumers are learning how these products can improve yields and we anticipate each coming year to be our best year yet.”
While many regulatory changes are anticipated for the biostimulant industry in 2020, Live Earth Products are prepared and excited for what’s ahead. And with a company philosophy that centers on integrity, it’s well positioned to continue being a leader in the field.
“If doing the right thing was easy, then everyone would be doing it,” Taylor said. “We make integrity priority in everything we do and the products we manufacture.”
As it has for the past three decades, Live Earth Products’ strategy is focusing on product quality and it looks to continue being a leader in the industry with continued product research in many crops, helping to support future growth of the products it manufactures.
David Taylor, Founder, Live Earth Products
The company is committed to manufacturing its organic products responsibly, and that’s seen in everything the company does, down to its facility, which is 100% solar powered with an array that can produce up to 137,363 kWh annually.
“The human population is anticipated to double in the next 30 years. Growing food and feeding the human population can only be done by utilizing products that help to produce more food using the same amount of water,” Taylor said. “Our company is focused on improving soils to help make more efficient use of applied water and fertilizer.”
