Fostering innovation, leading the industry in standardization, facilitating soil health, adoption of the seal- Rose Bowl testament to company quality reputation
Humic substances, such as fulvic acids, are created from decaying plants. They are produced naturally in our environment and are the remains of a process called humification. Humification is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms of a biomatter. This organic matter then recombines and synthesizes into dark-colored compounds with no particular chemical structure. These substances are used in diverse industries like cosmetics, skin care, dietary supplements, animal feed, and soil application like gardening and farming.
One major issue surrounding the humic industry is the lack of standardized testing. Unlike fertilizers, there is no standardized test required for the labeling and the sale of humic products. As a founding member of the Humic Product Trade Association (HPTA), Live Earth Products, Inc. is working with association partners to help ensure that humic products are authentic and they pass the appropriate quality and standard tests. One of the measures trade association members took to regulate the industry is the recent adoption of the Humic Product Test Method Certification mark to identify products using standardized testing. This certification seal attests to the quality and standardized testing that avoids the more broadly divergent testing methods associated with CDFA and colorimetric tests for humic and fulvic acids.
Leading this effort is Vice President of Live Earth Products Inc., Russell Taylor The Emery, Utah-based company mines and manufactures humic and fulvic acid-based products. According to Taylor, Live Earth Products Inc. is a family-operated business and a product of 30 years of hard work. He says during those 30 years, Live Earth products have become world-renowned for their superior quality and are used by both organic and conventional buyers.
Humic substances are products that result from the decomposition of both plant and animal residues. They can be found almost everywhere in soils, water, and sediments. According to research, humic products comprise 75% of the organic matter in most soils and 50% of the organic carbon in surface waters. While typically found in small amounts in soil and water, rare concentrated deposits of humic substances are hidden in the Earth's surface that can be harvested and refined for consumer use.
In addition to soil and plant use, researchers believe that humic and fulvic acids are important to human health. For example, these acids can be used in dietary supplements to support the immune system, gut health, and healthy aging, and in many other applications such as cosmetics and skincare products.
Humate deposits vary in quality as some are preserved from leaching and loss from rain and groundwater. Hidden in the mountain desert of Utah is a unique deposit of humic shale operated by Live Earth Products, Inc. For over thirty-four years, this mine has produced trace minerals and organic acids from an ancient deposit that was once a rich and lush semi-tropical forest like those found in the Amazons today.
Live Earth Humate Soil Conditioner on the Rose Bowl Turf
Founded by David Taylor, Live Earth Products was well before their time producing certified organic humic and fulvic acid-based products. Boasting a strong family history, David and his sons continue an already fascinating story of leading the humic industry. Recounting his early days as a young boy working alongside his dad at the humate mine, Russell explains how the founding of their humate enterprise was born from a rather sad event.
“My father worked at Wilburg Coal Mine in the early eighties, which caught fire on 19th of December 1984, killing 27 miners. Dad was involved in the rescue crew that later recovered some of the deceased miners. A harrowing experience that prompted him to get out of the coal mine and try doing something else. As someone with reasonable mining knowledge, he connected with a group prospecting for mineral deposits like tar sands and oil shale. They located the humate deposit but decided it was not what they sought and moved on. Dad decided to place a claim and find markets for this mineral deposit. He built this business from the ground up. Dad built and repaired almost all the equipment, and we slowly found markets for these products. More than 30 years later, here we are today,” he continues.
Taylor describes this experience as “carving the American dream out of the land,” considering the obstacles David and his family overcame to establish a generational business that has been successful for decades. I never imagined our Humate Soil Conditioner being used on prestigious properties like the Rose Bowl Stadium (since 2006) or the National Mall in D.C.
Speaking on the quality of humic products manufactured by Live Earth, Taylor says the company obtains its fulvic acids using the highest standards for quality assurance. He explains that the humic-based ingredients manufactured by Live Earth are used in the following industries: agriculture, animal feeds, cosmetics, dietary supplements, balneotherapy, bioremediation, organic gardening, and lawn care. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring that humic and fulvic acids are obtained from a mined mineral deposit like humic shale.
“When you make an excellent product, others will eventually sell fraudulent knockoff materials. There is a need for increased regulations for humic products due to the rate at which fake and substandard humic substances saturate the market lately. These fake humic products are also presented as substances that have passed quality and standard tests. This problem led our company to join with others to create the HPTA and develop testing standards for humic and fulvic acids.” he explains.
Taylor hopes that with improved testing standards and consumer awareness, the production of ineffective and contaminated fulvic acids will soon be resolved. Right now, consumers are expected to be humic scientists to read a label. We have made it easy to find high-quality products; just look for the HPTA Test Method Certified Seal.
HPTA Test Method Certified Seal
Media Contact:
Name: Russell Taylor
Email: [email protected]
