Sollio Agriculture recently announced that its new CRF AgriTech plant in St. Thomas, Ont. has received a $154,000 grant to accelerate production as part of the Bioenterprise Fertilizer Accelerating Solutions & Technology Challenge.

Provided by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the grant will help accelerate production and industry adoption of the advanced controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) made at the plant, based on their proven positive environmental impact. Sollio Agriculture and its business partners will use the grant to train retailers and growers, research coatings for various nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and other fertilizers, and ensure product quality control, with production set to begin in May.

Bioenterprise selected winning Ontario-based alternative fertilizer projects and products based on their potential for helping address the risks in the fertilizer supply chain and driving economic and environmental benefits back to the Ontario ecosystem. OMAFRA announced the winning projects on March 15.

“We have a lot to look forward to over the next few months," said Casper Kaastra, CEO of Sollio Agriculture. "As Sollio Agriculture continues to focus on our strength of providing the products farmers and growers need to prosper, we’re honoured to be recognized for our commitment to sustainability and finding innovative solutions for our industry. I want to thank Pursell for their partnership on the St. Thomas plant and the role their technology has played in our success so far.”

In 2021, Sollio Agriculture partnered with Pursell, a leading fertilizer-coating technology company based in Sylacauga, Alabama, on the $20 million CAD joint venture to build and operate a dedicated fertilizer-coating plant in Southwestern Ontario. The project, which broke ground in the fall of 2021, will see the plant apply Pursell’s proprietary materials and processing techniques to produce advanced CRFs, providing an environmentally beneficial fertilizer supply to the region’s agriculture industry.

When it begins operation, the plant’s patented technology will enable the addition of micronutrients and temperature-sensitive additives to fertilizers, such as biologicals, growth enhancers and soil health promoters. These controlled-release coatings improve the uptake of nutrients by plants, potentially significantly improving yield and quality while lowering greenhouse gas emissions from volatilization and reducing the risk of nutrient leaching and runoff.

In addition to providing sustainable fertilizer products to the local agriculture industry, the CRF AgriTech plant will also generate economic benefit for the St. Thomas region with local jobs for facility staff, trucking companies and suppliers.

"CRF AgriTech is excited to be recognized by Bioenterprise and OMAFRA for a new controlled-release fertilizer technology that will be manufactured at our facility in St. Thomas," states Mike Pastir, General Manager, CRF AgriTech/ Directeur General CRF AgriTech in a media release. "Our fertilizer manufacturing plant’s proximity to key agricultural areas will make these innovative products easily accessible to Canadian growers. Through the production of PurYield, a next-generation fertilizer coating that reduces nutrient losses, CRF AgriTech provides new solutions for today’s growers to optimize crop performance, increase their profitability and focus on environmental sustainability.”