Stratovation Group, Salinas, Calif., a research, marketing, and communications firm specializing in the food and agriculture sector, on Sept. 20 announced that it is engineering a new study, “Biologicals: Specialty Crop Growers’ Perceptions, Values and Potential,” to look at how specialty-crop growers perceive agricultural biologicals for vegetable, leafy greens, and fruit and nut crops.Stratovation has previously conducted a study on the use of biologicals for row-crops.
Collaborators on the new study include The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), Western Growers (WG), and DC Legislative and Regulatory Services (DCLRS). The study also will be undertaken with support and ongoing strategic counsel from biologicals specialist Dr. Pam Marrone.
“Partnering
with these exceptional organizations for this specialty crop effort is really a
testament to the findings farmers shared with us during our row-crop
biologicals study,” said Cam Camfield, Stratovation Founder and CEO. “We are
excited because more thoughtful input from a variety of players at the front
end will help us get better data throughout the study. And better data will
drive better planning and results for every organization involved, and
ultimately for the growers.”
“Like all the other sponsor partners joining this study, TFI recognizes the
importance of understanding how our growers are using agricultural biologicals,”
said Corey Rosenbusch, TFI President and CEO. “Like the earlier row-crop study,
this effort provides a unique opportunity to gather insights directly from
growers, enabling our members to support their input needs effectively and
drive sustainable innovation deeper into agriculture.”
“Agricultural biologicals have become an indispensable component of grower
strategies,” said Daren Coppock, ARA President and CEO. “We suspect that is
even more true in the specialty and fruit and vegetable sector, but this study
will put that idea to the test.”
The study is set to kick off this year and occur annually. Stratovation said
the 2023 study will set benchmarks for adoption and attitudes around the use of
biologicals by specialty crop growers and provide a roadmap to those companies
seeking to grow and develop the market category.
Camfield said this will be a “grower-centric study,” adding that “it’s time for
the market to listen to them more, seek to understand the good, and work to
improve any weaknesses perceived at the grower level.” Stratovation also has
offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Missouri.