Sustainable growing methods are garnering more attention and application in agriculture. Increased emphasis in Washington, D.C. on healthy eating could spur even more growth.

Amy Bruch of Cyclone Farms in Nebraska is helping interested growers shift from conventional to organic farming. Named Organic Farmer of the Year by a leading trade organization, Bruch runs AgriSecure, a consulting company to assist farmers.

“Our farm has adopted a lot of technology and a really interesting take on how to grow organic crops,” she said. “ We do it with a high level of management, agronomic focus, and marrying a nostalgic way of organic production with the latest and greatest in technology. That’s our bread and butter – helping others adopt some of those interesting techniques, and it has really been exciting for us.”

Since 2000, certified U.S. acreage for growing or livestock has nearly tripled. Organic sales account for about 3 percent of U.S. farm receipts, on less than one percent of the farmland.

Vernon Jones saw firsthand the power of Redox TurfRx® technology as a superintendent before his current position as an agronomist and account consultant for Plant Health Solutions.

As superintendent of The Polo Club in Boca Raton, Florida, he saw amazing results from a trial program on a struggling fairway. He expanded his use of TurfRx® products and has become a huge fan of the results.

He now helps superintendents save heartache and labor by helping their courses stay pristine, even when battling rain, insects, disease, cold spells and oxidative stress pressure.

“When you’re dealing with something that’s your livelihood, the way you put food on your table, you really can’t put a dollar amount on that,” he said. “The greens need to come first, regardless. If you can grow a healthier plant, it’s just a no brainer. It’s definitely worth the investment- it’s just shifting that mindset and those dollars to focusing on nutrition, instead of medicines.”

Florida golf is an $11 billion industry., with nearly 48 million rounds played each year.

Fifth-generation grower Brandon Hunnicutt is passionate about making a positive impact well beyond his farm in Giltner, Nebraska.

Hunnicutt is involved in leadership of many organizations, as he tries to best understand new technology and how he and other growers can improve in areas like synthetic nitrogen use, which has caused concern over impacts on groundwater and community health.

He said a key is for growers to understand and adopt new technology that helps both farm environment, providing it makes economic sense.

“If we start mixing certain tools together, we can maybe not get all of the answers, but we will start unlocking some things that will really change what we can do in production agriculture,” Hunnicutt said.

Hunnicutt serves as chair of the Nebraska Corn Board, is a board member of the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council. Additionally, he’s chair of Field to Market, works with the USDA on greenhouse gas studies and is helping African farmers better feed their population.