CultivAce, a fertilizer manufacturer based on the West Coast, is transforming foliar nutrition with its innovative AFN® acetate-based technology. Founded by Wayne Sledge, the company has grown from its roots in Oregon’s Willamette Valley to serve agricultural markets throughout the Western United States and Midwest regions.
Wayne Sledge
In a recent webinar, “Acetates: Establishing an Agronomic Advantage While Differentiating in the Marketplace,” Sledge explained that the heart of CultivAce’s innovation lies in its unique approach to nutrient delivery via foliar application of acetate compounds. Unlike traditional EDTA chelates, acetate-based nutrients are specifically formulated to work with plants’ natural processes. “Plants naturally produce acetic acid as a root exudate, so when you spray acetate onto the plant, it recognizes it as something it already synthesizes,” says Sledge.
The science behind this approach is compelling. Acetate molecules are significantly smaller than traditional EDTA chelates — approximately 2.5 times smaller — allowing for more efficient nutrient absorption by plants. And soil-applied nutrients can become chemically tied up to other elements in the soil and unavailable to plants. Independent trials have demonstrated impressive results. In manganese trials, acetate formulations achieved 30% higher tissue concentrations compared to EDTA alternatives. Similar success was seen with zinc applications, where acetate formulations resulted in tissue concentrations of 80 ppm compared to just 33 ppm with EDTA treatments.
CultivAce’s product line features carefully pH-adjusted formulations, typically ranging from 4.0 to 6.0, which aligns with plant-friendly levels. Their products contain 5 to 8% nutrients in each formulation, significantly higher than many competing products that often contain minimal concentrations of active ingredients.
The company’s approach goes beyond just product development. They emphasize the importance of understanding nutrient interactions to help growers optimize their nutrition programs. This comprehensive understanding of nutrient relationships helps prevent common issues like induced deficiencies that can occur when applying multiple nutrients.
In a 2023 field trial with manganese, Cultivace’s MnAce and EDTA each were applied at 2 quarts per acre. MnAce increased tissue manganese levels by 29.28% above EDTA.
Effective and Unique
In today’s agricultural market, where the top eight companies control 70% of the market share, CultivAce offers smaller agricultural retailers a path to differentiation. As Brock Coursey, Marketing Manager at CultivAce, points out, “When we differentiate, we provide a unique product that our competitors can’t, we decommoditize the product in our customers’ eyes, and we build brand loyalty.”
The company’s business model focuses on building strong partnerships with agricultural retailers, offering them the opportunity to create unique branded products using CultivAce’s acetate technology. This approach allows smaller firms to compete effectively against larger companies by offering truly differentiated products rather than competing solely on price.
Looking ahead, CultivAce continues to expand its presence across the United States, maintaining its commitment to science-based product development and partner success. The company’s focus remains on delivering solutions that improve nutrient delivery and contribute to grower profitability — a key metric in measuring the success of their products.
For agricultural retailers seeking to differentiate themselves in an increasingly consolidated market, CultivAce’s acetate technology represents an opportunity to offer unique, science-backed solutions while building stronger relationships with growers through improved product performance.
