Agri Business Review: Specials Magazine

The Dairy Authority (TDA) blends the science of diagnostics with veterinary insight to help dairies get the data and the direction they need for informed, herd-level decision-making. Operated by veterinarians with decades of hands-on dairy experience, TDA Labs, the laboratory arm of the company, provides advanced, standardized testing for herdhealth-impacting diseases paired with clinical interpretation. The goal is not just to deliver results, but to help producers act on them to safeguard herd health and ensure milk quality. “Most veterinary labs are not run by veterinarians with on-farm expertise which is exactly what makes us valuable.” says Greg Goodell, owner and veterinarian of TDA Labs. “When clinical insight is needed, it’s built in.” In addition to lab insights, TDA supports farms through bilingual online training and human resources tools. It helps clients follow best practices in milk sampling and antibiotic use, strengthening compliance and productivity. Serving Diverse Clients through Tailored, Bilingual Support TDA serves small family farms with 50 cows to large dairies housing up to 20,000 animals, across the United States. Regardless of the size of the farm or where the samples originate, accuracy of the result is maintained at the central laboratory in Greeley, Colorado. The lab follows strict protocols to preserve integrity and deliver consistent results. The same commitment to quality and reliability extends across all of TDA’s testing services. The lab offers advanced bacteriology, PCR testing for diseases like mastitis and Johne’s, and chemical blood analysis to detect metabolic issues such as hypocalcemia. It also helps contain contagious diseases such as bovine viral diarrhea and Johne’s disease, protecting long-term herd stability and reducing economic disruptions for producers.

Every plant reflects the health of its soil. When the microbial ecosystem below is balanced, crops thrive, roots run deep and moisture stays longer. But repeated planting, salt build-up, nutrient runoff and chemical fatigue have stripped many fields of vitality. What once sustained life now stunts it. UNESCO warns that if current practices continue, up to 90 percent of the world’s soil could be degraded by 2050—a risk no grower can ignore. BioActive Biologics offers a different path forward, working with nature’s systems to repair soil health that industrial agriculture has compromised. Instead of adding more chemicals to exhausted soil, BioActive cultivates nutrient-dense microalgae in controlled bioreactors, then harvests metabolite-rich liquids filled with plant-supportive compounds from these cultures. Each formulation builds on this living foundation, enhanced with precise blends of beneficial bacteria, fungi and micronutrients. Microalgae act as biological awakeners. They release compounds that revive dormant microbial systems, fix nitrogen and carbon dioxide into forms plants can use and produce substances that improve soil structure and water retention. This synergy helps rebuild ecosystems worn down by conventional inputs. Traditional treatments often wash away or remain unused in depleted soils. BioActive’s proprietary nanoparticle process changes this dynamic. Within 24 hours, biological molecules convert into ultra-small particles that directly penetrate root zones. Plants absorb these particles more completely, wasting less energy and benefiting from what researchers call ‘plant-compatible delivery.’ As these treatments take effect, soil ecosystems begin to regenerate. Moisture retention improves, nutrient cycles restore themselves and plants emerge stronger each season. Farmers find they can use less product per acre without sacrificing performance.

Did you know that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommended way to measure soil health is to measure soil microbe enzyme activity? Imagine being able to enhance that activity directly by adding concentrated enzymes. With Elemental Enzymes, that becomes possible. Most biologicals on the market rely on live microbes to generate enzymes in the soil. But these microbes are rarely application-ready. They often require cold storage, careful mixing or separate tanks because they break down under typical fertilizer conditions like high pH or elevated temperatures or are incompatible with many other chemicals commonly used by farmers. Elemental solves this with its patented enzymes and enzyme stabilizing technologies so they can be blended directly into fertilizers, stored under normal conditions and applied using standard grower equipment with no additional complications. This compatibility allows manufacturers to boost the biological performance in their fertilizer blends without asking growers to change practices. Since the enzymes stay active and are easy to apply, they improve nutrient availability and uptake. This can enable up to 20 percent fertilizer savings and reduce costs by as much as 50 dollars per acre, while also supporting higher yields and healthier soil. “Our microbial enzymes play a key role in healthy, living soil by actively catalyzing chemical reactions that release beneficial soil nutrients that the plants can take up in season. Our enzyme products also increase the ability of the roots to take up these freed nutrients more effectively,” says Brian Thompson, co-founder and CEO. These enzymes deliver the same level of performance across a variety of environments. That reliability is reflected in a 70 to 80 percent success rate in field trials, which has helped drive adoption to more than 20 million acres across the U.S. in 2025. To maintain this consistency, Elemental screens enzyme candidates to identify the most effective, stable and compatible options. Each is targeted to specific plant needs, such as converting organic matter in the soil to more available forms so nutrients become more available to roots. This precision strengthens the plant’s natural growth processes and soil health, delivering consistent yield improvements. It also removes the uncertainty of approaches that rely on live microbes, which must first survive and adapt in the soil before producing the right enzymes.