Community introduced to Holganix Midwest

FUTURE GENERATIONS

That’s 500 farms that have better P&Ls because of better yields. That’s 500 farms that are consistently driving soil health year over year over year. That’s 500 farms that can be handed down to the next generation in better condition than they inherited it.”

Barrett Ersek, Founder of Holganix

WEST POINT – The landscape of farming may be changing due to a product improving soil health, but the landscape just south of West Point has also changed with the spiffy digs of the Holganix Midwest facility on the west side of West Point Road.
On Wednesday, the Holganix Midwest team, led by CEO Brian Mohrfeld, welcomed close to 200 visitors to the company’s new facility.
Mohrfeld and his team have been selling Holganix off the family farm site on Hwy. 16 for close to four years, and now have a multimillion dollar facility with sales that have more than doubled in the past 24 months.
The new construction features state-of-the-art office space with a large production area where microbes are fermented on site and then delivered to farms in the region. The introduction of what are described as plant probiotics is helping improve soil health and reducing the amount of fertilizer and nitrates that are being blamed for poor water quality in the state.
Morhfeld’s grand opening and ribbon cutting were attended by Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Grant Menke who gave a welcome and congratulations to Mohrfeld’s team and community members in attendance. Lunch was provided by Sonny's Supermarket..
“I may be a little biased, but you could not have picked a better place to build a facility like this – right here in Iowa,” Menke said.
"This is literally the epicenter of agriculture and we’re a production powerhouse. We lead the nation in corn, pork, ag, ethanol, biodiesel, red meat, and feed. We are second in soybean production, seventh in turkeys, 10^th in dairy,  2^nd in overall value of our ag production, and 2^nd in the overall value of our ag exports.”
Menke said the state has set records the last four consecutive years in investment and implementation of soil and water conservation practices in Iowa. He said Iowa is also second in the nation in cover crops, but said the state needs to stay “laser focused” on improving water quality and protecting soil.
There are 25 full-time employees working at the facility that will serve currently 500 regional farms and two million acres of land.
Mohrfeld said the journey started about four years ago when he went away from fertilizer on his family's generational farm - with an apology to those in the room in that market.
He also gave a nod to his daughter Madison Mohrfeld who handles marketing for Holganix Midwest.
“This is you,” he said.
He then thanked the team who had been with them since the start, including Todd Boles with the sales team.
"When they came to me and wanted to find 100,000 acres, and I sell seed, I said 'you're crazy, you guys are nuts',” Boles said.
“We’re going on our fourth year and I’m a true believer of it. But (Mohrfeld) has developed a team of individuals that are different. And when I say different, there is something different in every one of us. It worked unbelievable. If you’re not a team player, you’re not on our team.”
Barrett Ersek, CEO and founder of Holganix, congratulated Mohrfeld and his team on the rapid rise of the company and the new facility.
“This is really cool to be here and part of this, Brian,” Ersek said.
He said the economy isn’t on fire on the input side of the business and Mohrfeld has created a pathway there. And, because of that, there are 500 farms in the area that are doing better than they were before.
“That’s 500 farms that have better P&Ls because of better yields. That’s 500 farms that are consistently driving soil health year over year over year. That’s 500 farms that can be handed down to the next generation in better condition than they inherited it,” Ersek said.
Ersek started the company as a turf enhancement for golf courses and it morphed into improving soil health with the introduction of fermented microbes.
Madison Mohrfeld said the 16,000 square-foot facility is fully operational. The company started in 2022 after close to a year of conversations around the idea, selling just over 35,000 acres that first year and now is tracking at two million.
“We are incredibly blessed by the support of our community. We’ve always loved our little town of West Point, and we’re proud to bring something here that not only benefits the community, but also Midwest farmers," she said.
Fort Madison's Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors were also on hand for a ribbon-cutting in front of the new building.