Beyond Fertilizer: The New Science of Water, Roots, and Yield

With input costs remaining high and profit margins under pressure, producers are increasingly looking for ways to improve productivity without simply adding more fertilizer, more irrigation, or more crop inputs. In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, host Chrissy Wozniak sits down with Chad Godsey, Chief Agronomist at Green Evolution Technologies, to discuss how growers are evaluating new technologies, why efficiency has become the new benchmark for success, and how innovations at the soil and root level may help unlock future yield gains.

Chad brings a unique perspective to the conversation, combining a PhD in Agronomy and Soil Science with a lifetime of farming experience on his family's multi-generational Colorado farm. He shares how his work as a consultant across more than 100,000 acres has shaped his views on technology adoption and why today's farmers are demanding proven, measurable results before investing in new products.

The discussion explores how growers are increasingly conducting their own on-farm trials to validate new technologies and why return on investment has become the deciding factor in purchasing decisions. Chad explains that while farmers have been inundated with new products in recent years, many are now focused on technologies that can consistently improve water-use efficiency and nutrient-use efficiency rather than simply promise yield increases.

A major focus of the episode is Green Evolution Technologies' InteliGel hydrogel platform. Chad explains how the technology works by absorbing and storing water and nutrients within the soil profile, making them available to crops during periods of stress. He discusses how the hydrogel can be applied using existing farm equipment, reducing barriers to adoption while fitting into current farming practices.

The conversation also dives into field trial results from corn and soybean production systems. Chad shares data from third-party research that demonstrated significant yield improvements and profitability gains, particularly during periods of late-season drought stress. He also discusses the potential for multi-year benefits from a single application, an important factor when evaluating long-term return on investment.

Listeners will hear Chad's perspective on the challenges facing ag technology companies, including the common mistake of bringing products to market before they have been fully validated across different environments and management systems. He offers practical advice for growers evaluating new products, emphasizing the importance of establishing clear benchmarks and measuring efficiency improvements over time.

Whether you're interested in water management, nutrient efficiency, precision agriculture, or the future of crop production, this episode offers valuable insights into how innovative technologies are helping farmers do more with less while maintaining profitability.

Learn more about Green Evolution Technologies and InteliGel by visiting https://greenevolutiontechnologies.com, or send Chad an email with your questions to chad@hydrogel.us.

Thank you to Chad Godsey for joining us on North American Ag Spotlight and sharing his expertise on the future of agricultural productivity.

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Transcript

00;00;10;03 - 00;00;33;02
Chrissy Wozniak
Hi, and welcome to North American Spotlight. I'm Chrissy Wozniak. I am really excited for today's show and love learning about the latest in modern ag technology across U.S. agriculture. Farmers are being asked to produce more with less input. Costs continue to climb. Margins are tighter than ever for many growers. Simply adding more fertilizer, more seed treatments or more irrigation is no longer path to higher yields.

00;00;33;05 - 00;01;01;28
Chrissy Wozniak
It's becoming too expensive to justify without measurable returns. That reality is driving a shift in how producers evaluate innovation. More than ever, farmers are looking for technologies that can improve efficiency in ways that are practical, proven, and profitable. Today, we're talking about what farmers are seeing in real world field trials. Why efficiency at the soil and root level is actually becoming a bigger piece of that yield equation, and how emerging technologies are changing the conversation around productivity.

00;01;02;00 - 00;01;11;02
Chrissy Wozniak
Joining me today is Chad Godsey, chief agronomist at Green Evolution Technologies. Welcome, Chad. Thank you so much for joining me today.

00;01;11;04 - 00;01;15;19
Chad Godsey
Yeah. My pleasure. Great to be be on and visit with you.

00;01;15;22 - 00;01;23;11
Chrissy Wozniak
Awesome. Well, let's jump right in. Tell me a little bit about yourself, your journey and your role at Green Evolution Technologies.

00;01;23;14 - 00;01;47;29
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So a little bit of background on myself. I grew up on a family farm in northeast Colorado. So obviously, semi-arid west, which will kind of set the story for, for how I eventually ended up with working with green evolution, technologies. So we, went to, graduate school at Kansas State University. And then was on faculty at Oklahoma State University for six, six years.

00;01;47;29 - 00;02;16;16
Chad Godsey
And it was an extension research role there and really, really missed getting to work with farmers one on one. And notice to kind of a, a lag of, of technology adoption, you know, from a university to, to the actual farm level in some instances. And so, opened the consulting business, moved back to northeast Colorado, and, and really, my, my passion has always been in helping farmers.

00;02;16;17 - 00;02;43;09
Chad Godsey
You know, with traditional precision ag technologies, but, you know, increasing efficiencies, whether it be nutrient water, and obviously where we're at overload the aquifer. You know, water efficiency is is of the utmost, utmost importance. As we move forward. And so I guess it was a little over a year ago. I seen green Evolution technologies, hydrogel, product and some trials.

00;02;43;09 - 00;03;07;10
Chad Godsey
They had done. I've always followed the hydrogel market. And kind of evolution the last 20, 25 years, probably. And caught my eye. Started visiting with them about a year ago, and, yeah, last fall, but decided to help them with their agronomy on farm agronomy trials and move their product, help them move their product in the market.

00;03;07;12 - 00;03;14;00
Chad Godsey
So that's kind of where I, where I sit today. Super excited, about what we have in front of us and the potential.

00;03;14;03 - 00;03;37;12
Chrissy Wozniak
So, yeah, that's that's really incredible. And and thank you for your service to the to the industry as well. We all know we need to do more with less. And this is a great step forward. So how are growers approaching crop decisions differently in today's economic environment alone? With all of these tightening, you know, tightening inputs especially.

00;03;37;14 - 00;04;18;14
Chad Godsey
Yeah. Yeah, I think you hit it in the, in the opening, your opening remarks about, you know, tighter margins. And, you know, farmers in general have been I mean, they've been bombarded with new, new products the last, you know, five, eight, ten years. You know, whether they be biological or whatever. So I think the, you know, the combination of that, just the sheer number of products and, you know, with, with the traditional, I'll say precision and technologies, yield monitors, you know, the ease of, of putting out trials themselves, collecting their own data on their own farm, has obviously made it easier.

00;04;18;16 - 00;04;41;28
Chad Godsey
So, you know, we've obviously seen a huge increase in, you know, on farm trials, farmers taking the time to do their own trials to evaluate products. Because we know, you know, everybody's management style is a little bit unique. And, you know, product response can vary from from farm to farm, no doubt. So, I think it's just a, you know, a combination of those things.

00;04;42;01 - 00;04;48;10
Chad Godsey
And farmers want to see it work on their own farm right before they make that make make that investment. So.

00;04;48;12 - 00;05;07;15
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, I definitely I, I know that one. Well, they need to see it with their own eyes and I don't blame them. There's been a lot of, a lot of great ideas that aren't proven on farm. Right. So that that is totally understandable. And which ways are you seeing them focus to improve profitability right now?

00;05;07;17 - 00;05;29;27
Chad Godsey
So I think the, you know, the for for a lot of our customers and stuff, the shift is has kind of kind of gone from like, you know, we used to seem like we used to always strictly look at things like how much yield increases there with, you know, that's product. And now we've really, we really have seen a huge shift in, in that efficiency.

00;05;29;27 - 00;05;52;21
Chad Godsey
Right. So whether we're talking about water use efficiency or nutrient use efficiency. So really and I think the dynamics may be a little bit different in the West, especially with declining water. You know, resources. We really have started seeing a huge emphasis put on efficiencies and not necessarily, you know, that will increase by three bushels or four bushels.

00;05;52;24 - 00;05;59;07
Chad Godsey
So I think that's the biggest thing is just that shift was focusing so much on efficiency.

00;05;59;10 - 00;06;22;05
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, I totally agree. I remember, you know, ten, ten years ago following a technology and seeing all the great ideas, the things the, but like you said earlier, the things, the amazing things coming out of universities and, you know, these, these ideas that were just incredible. But then when you really put it down, there was no ROI to a lot of those ideas.

00;06;22;07 - 00;06;40;17
Chrissy Wozniak
I think we've come a long way in the technology gaining, towards making those, those ideas reality. But how has this conversation around ROI, in your opinion, changed when it comes to adopting new AI technologies?

00;06;40;20 - 00;07;15;05
Chad Godsey
Yeah, I think the, you know, most, most customers and farmers we visit with, you know, they want a obviously they want to, you know, they want an ROI in year one. You know, they they don't want it to be a 2 or 3 year, you know, ROI type payback. So I think the, you know, and then to just, just the, the calculator figuring out what that ROI is, you know, if it's if it's a break even proposition, you know, one out of three years, you know, they're they're probably not going to they're they're probably not going to do it.

00;07;15;08 - 00;07;40;25
Chad Godsey
You know, it's got to be a consistent ROI for from year to year. And I think that's sometimes the thing that's, obviously when Mother Nature is involved, you know, it's always it's sometimes hard to get a consistent ROI on, on certain products from, from year to year. So I think the consistency of, of, of the ROI and then obviously having a quick ROI is, is most of the time how guys are looking at things right now.

00;07;40;25 - 00;07;43;04
Chad Godsey
Currently. Definitely. Yeah.

00;07;43;04 - 00;07;52;19
Chrissy Wozniak
That, that that totally makes sense. And what do you think is making growers skeptical of new technologies? These days too?

00;07;52;22 - 00;08;23;22
Chad Godsey
Yeah, I think, you know, I think that's a great question. And I, I spend a lot of time thinking about that because obviously, you know, we try to evaluate as many products for our customers as we can, you know, to give them an idea on what products to initially look at. But I think the the thing I mentioned earlier, just the sheer number of products that that have hit hit the market the last few years with all the start ups and, and a lot of those are around, you know, biological type products or soil health, type products.

00;08;23;24 - 00;08;58;14
Chad Godsey
And I think a lot of times a lot of those products are hard to evaluate, right? There there may not be a clear crop response. And to a lot of those are long term, investments sometimes, right, with, increasing soil health or improving it. So that ROI may not be immediate. So I think those those are a couple things that really that have given farmers, you know, pause to, to adoption of some new technologies is especially soil related, you know, fertility related products.

00;08;58;16 - 00;09;11;23
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, for sure. And I know we touched on this before, but, you do you are involved in a lot of side by side trials. And how important are these trials when introducing something that's entirely new?

00;09;11;26 - 00;09;33;07
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So it's a great question. I mean, side by side trials are very important. You know, it's easy way to prove whether a product works or it doesn't. Then, you know, obviously those farmers get to see it, get to see it on, on, you know, their, their ground, their management style with, with their hybrids or varieties.

00;09;33;09 - 00;09;51;18
Chad Godsey
So it is it's an easy way to prove if a product works or not. But a lot of times, you know, when we, when we try to work with guys, obviously the replication and the side by side trials, there's a lot of side by side trials that are done that probably aren't done quite right or, you know, in which replication and stuff like that.

00;09;51;20 - 00;10;07;21
Chad Godsey
So so that's always key. You know, of getting a good trial side by side trial established and out in the field so that at the end of the year or into the growing season, you can say, yes, this product worked or no, we don't, or we need another year, that type of thing.

00;10;07;21 - 00;10;31;20
Chrissy Wozniak
So yeah, definitely. And I really like your focus on the soil and root level. I think that's been overlooked in the past. I know with regenerative agriculture and, and all of that has been a big focus. But this is completely new what you're working on. So. Right. And what what the, the gel is, is really a brand new product to the market.

00;10;31;20 - 00;10;36;07
Chrissy Wozniak
So I think that's really cool. Can you tell me what works and how it how it's applied?

00;10;36;09 - 00;11;04;12
Chad Godsey
Yeah, yeah for sure. So, so our, our, green revolution technology, Intel, Intel a gel is, is the, the name, for the hydro gel. So it's a super absorbent polymer that that will absorb 2000 to 3000 times its weight in water. So, obviously for for us, you know, for us farmers, out west, you know, anything where we can retain more water in the soil profile is, is a huge, huge win for us.

00;11;04;13 - 00;11;38;20
Chad Godsey
So, in addition to holding water. So whatever, whatever nutrients are in the soil solution at the time when it's absorbing that, that moisture or water, it will retain that as well. So, you know, we see significant reduction in nitrate leaching, you know, in those areas where we have, water quality issues. So it really is a it's, you know, the the water absorbing capacity is is big for us in, you know, in our dry land, even in our irrigated systems out west.

00;11;38;22 - 00;12;03;15
Chad Godsey
But, you know, when you get, to the Midwest, the nutrient holding, capabilities of, of the hydro gel is big. So we really are trying to position it more as a, a platform of maybe delivering, you know, nutrients, by biologicals and not necessarily just like, you know, hydro gel that's absorbing water and making it available later for the plant.

00;12;03;15 - 00;12;16;26
Chad Godsey
So if that makes sense, that, you know, there's it's a very robust product, in general, and we really are just scratching the surface of, of what, what potential there is, there.

00;12;16;29 - 00;12;20;19
Chrissy Wozniak
Awesome. And then how how does a grower apply it to the field.

00;12;20;21 - 00;12;40;09
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So so we're continuing to look for ways because obviously the number one, the number one thing on our checklist was right there. And we've talked a little bit a bit about this already. But logistics right. The the product's got to be able to be easily applied with, with what they currently have. We don't want extra investment or anything like that.

00;12;40;09 - 00;13;08;29
Chad Godsey
So, a number of different ways, you know, typically it's applied dry. It can be banded or broadcast, so we have some guys that are obviously experimenting with different ways, to strip tail, when they're doing that, using a dry cart. Can be applied there can be applied precision plantings. Actually done some trials with this the last couple of years with their dry set, insecticide meters.

00;13;09;02 - 00;13;29;28
Chad Godsey
So it could be applied through insecticide boxes. So we're definitely continuing to find ways we have one, one guy that's doing some research this year for us that is doing it, basically applying it through their liquid, in furrow in two by two systems. So, so we don't think obviously we're continuing to fine tune things.

00;13;30;00 - 00;13;44;23
Chad Godsey
But a lot of different potential, application methods. One guy in the past is it used to actually just use a grain box grain drill, to apply the hydrogel. So, so there's a lot of different, different ways. So.

00;13;44;25 - 00;13;53;08
Chrissy Wozniak
Oh, and then, what about, you know, on the, on the other side, maybe some pushback you'd get. What about runoff? What about it being in the soil long term?

00;13;53;11 - 00;14;22;07
Chad Godsey
Yeah, definitely. So those are two, two questions that that that always come up because his historically hydrogels have kind of had a, I guess I'll say a bad reputation with leaving unreactive what we call monomers, basically unreactive plastics in the soil. That will persist for, you know, for, for, for a long time. So that that's one thing that makes our product unique is, is that we basically have, you know, 99.9%, monomer free.

00;14;22;07 - 00;14;49;02
Chad Godsey
So really, no, no unreactive plastics, or chemicals in, in the hydrogel. So everything in our hydrogel is biodegradable. So the basically the microbial microbial activity is what breaks the hydrogel down. So essentially essentially you're left with, with carbon and nitrogen, long term, which, which obviously, you know, is a beneficial it's small amounts of both.

00;14;49;02 - 00;15;04;12
Chad Godsey
But you know, beneficial for, for soil health, in that aspect. So but it is that is a very common question. We do get on, you know, what's the residual left behind. After after it's, broken down. So.

00;15;04;14 - 00;15;13;15
Chrissy Wozniak
Oh, awesome. And so what have the field trials shown in terms of yield improvements and cost savings? And are there particular crops that are benefiting more or less.

00;15;13;18 - 00;15;41;29
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So so a great question. As far as certain crops, we've focused a lot of our, I guess first research on corn and soybeans. So probably our most pertinent research, third party research that we've done is, has been at the PTI farm, with with precision planning and Jason Webster. So in 2024 and 2025, basically in 2024, we saw a 19 bushel increase in corn.

00;15;42;01 - 00;16;20;24
Chad Godsey
I believe that equated to about a 59%, as far as, increase in net profitability. So it's a really big response. He, he attributed a lot of that response to, late season drought. And obviously and that's where where our hydrogel shines, right? Is, in short, you know, short, dry periods or drought periods, where we can extend that moisture, moisture release, in 2025, the response was, was in that 8 to 9 bushel, increase, with corn, as well as soybeans, with the hydrogel trials in Illinois there.

00;16;20;27 - 00;16;59;09
Chad Godsey
And the one interesting thing we have over the last couple of years with the research is that so we do see, multi multi growing season benefit, like in Illinois there those soils, that environment we saw basically the, the 2024 plots were utilized again in 2025, but with no new hydrogel applied in 2025. And so we saw the same response, from basically freshly applied or newly applied hydrogel as we did to, the, the 2024 originally applied hydrogel.

00;16;59;09 - 00;17;28;20
Chad Godsey
So we're seeing multi multi year benefit from, from applications which is which is huge. Obviously right from an ROI standpoint. And and then to we know you know soil soils environments are going to you know, make a huge impact on that. Obviously when our, you know, northern U.S, where soils freeze, less microbial activity during the winter months, you know, we may see longer performance there.

00;17;28;20 - 00;17;37;20
Chad Godsey
So, something that we're continuing to find, it's fine tune and really see how long it, will give us crop benefit. So.

00;17;37;22 - 00;17;57;06
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, that that is incredible. And, touching back on drought a little bit, like you said, is the technology. Yeah, I guess it's a broad focus. But initially was it, to reduce irrigation demand or to help mitigate drought stress or, or is it was it originally just for both.

00;17;57;08 - 00;18;20;15
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So so great question. The, the you know, hydrogels in general have been the emphasis has always been on irrigation or, you know, increasing water, holding capacity of soils. You know, so that obviously was the first focus. But then then, you know, a lot of the research started focusing on, you know, increased nutrient use efficiencies and things like this.

00;18;20;15 - 00;18;45;29
Chad Godsey
So, you know, I, I always use nitrogen for, for an example. Right. So, you know, worldwide we're at like 50. I think the the best estimate I've seen is 60% nitrogen use efficiency. So you know, we only capture about 60% of that nitrogen. We apply in the plant, or the crop we're growing. So we know there's there's huge, huge improvements we can make with nitrogen management.

00;18;45;29 - 00;18;55;14
Chad Godsey
Right. And we think the hydrogel gives us an opportunity to, to increase that, nitrogen use efficiency, that we typically see a lot of places.

00;18;55;19 - 00;19;02;01
Chrissy Wozniak
So yeah, I love that. And is there any concern, during wet years.

00;19;02;03 - 00;19;29;12
Chad Godsey
Yep. Great. Great question. And that's often a question we get from Midwest, you know, Midwest farmers, you know, some springs when they have waterlogged soils. So really, we have not seen any negative impact. So the you know, in essence, the hydro gel is increasing the water holding capacity of, of the soil. So as far as getting germination, you know, quick germination, things like that, we have not seen any negative, impact.

00;19;29;12 - 00;19;50;27
Chad Godsey
So, and obviously when, when that hydrogel is banded around that seed, you know, it in essence can hold excess moisture. And, you know, maybe make that seed, make it a better environment for that seed to germinate in. So, so, so no, no negatives for sure. So great question.

00;19;51;00 - 00;20;02;14
Chrissy Wozniak
That's that's great to hear. So shifting the conversation a little bit, what mistakes do you think ag tech companies often make when they're bringing new innovations like this to the market?

00;20;02;16 - 00;20;32;18
Chad Godsey
Yeah, I think, that's a pretty easy answer. I think it's getting going the market too quick. Is probably, you know what what I've seen over the last 5 or 10 years, you know, not not knowing how to fully utilize that product or give the best recommendations, you know, for that product, I think, you know, I could think of think of quite a few times where, you know, and obviously from an investor standpoint, their push to get products to market quick.

00;20;32;18 - 00;20;43;17
Chad Godsey
Right. And so yeah, but it's I think it's, it's oftentimes when we see a fail, it's, yeah. Just just rushing to market too quick.

00;20;43;20 - 00;21;03;25
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Yeah I've definitely seen that as well. Just, you know, having a cool product. But maybe it doesn't work in the Florida muck or maybe it doesn't work, but they don't know that because they haven't been in every soil type. And so yeah, that's that's really good advice because once you turn off a certain segment of producers, they talk and you're not going to get back in there.

00;21;03;25 - 00;21;18;10
Chrissy Wozniak
So excellent advice for those companies. And then what advice would you give to growers who are evaluating a new product? It promises better efficiency. It promises better yield. What should they be looking at.

00;21;18;13 - 00;21;45;16
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So so a good question that, you know, from that efficiency standpoint, I think what sometimes we see with farmers evaluating, you know, new products and looking at that. So you know, considering considering where you're at with let's say nitrogen use efficiency or water use efficiency before you start trying that product. You know, a lot of times we'll see, see somebody, you know, try a new product delay.

00;21;45;17 - 00;22;11;19
Chad Godsey
Let's use a hydro gel for an example. You know, they may try a trial, that product. But then they don't change any of their other fertility practices. You know, and we don't by no means do we want people to to decrease 50% of their nitrogen. Right. You know, in year one, by any means. And I think, you know, but but slowly, slowly start cutting back on some of those inputs to see if you can increase that.

00;22;11;19 - 00;22;36;02
Chad Godsey
But but having a clear, clear cut starting point is sometimes what, what we don't see. And then at the end of the year, you're kind of looking like you're trying to evaluate, you know, what those efficiencies are and you really don't know where you started from, if that makes sense. So that's oftentimes one one thing we see that that we don't, don't have a clear picture of where we're at to begin with.

00;22;36;04 - 00;22;38;05
Chad Godsey
On some of those things.

00;22;38;07 - 00;22;48;09
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, that's that is really good advice. And so if someone wants to get in contact with you or learn more about Intel, agile or, your company, where do they go?

00;22;48;11 - 00;22;57;17
Chad Godsey
Yeah. So, so if you just Google Green Evolution Technologies, either Intel a gel or hydrogel, you'll find plenty of information on the web.

00;22;57;20 - 00;23;08;24
Chrissy Wozniak
Awesome. And my last question for you, why do you serve the industry like this? And you know, what gets you up in the morning? And why did God put you on this earth?

00;23;08;26 - 00;23;30;02
Chad Godsey
Yeah, it's great question. So, you know, once in a while and I think about that, occasionally, you know, to get refreshed, based basically every planting season, like, you know, you have to get re-energized for, for try to get trials out. And, you know, I think having grown up on a family farm, obviously, dad and brother still farm.

00;23;30;05 - 00;23;53;06
Chad Godsey
You know, it it I've always had that interest in the research. Part of it has, has always intrigued me. And, you know, trying to find the, the next best thing to, you know, increase water use efficiency. In our case, how can we grow a 200 and, you know, 50 bushel corn crop on, you know, 15in of irrigation water?

00;23;53;09 - 00;24;06;28
Chad Godsey
So those questions are really what, what keep me going and keep me energized and and trying to look for either products or management, strategies that that will take us take it to that next step closer to achieving those goals.

00;24;07;04 - 00;24;13;20
Chrissy Wozniak
So yeah that's awesome. And is there anything else you want to leave the audience with?

00;24;13;22 - 00;24;22;01
Chad Godsey
I don't think so. Yeah. I appreciate the conversation. And the questions and, yeah, it was a great chat with you this morning.

00;24;22;04 - 00;24;36;13
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Awesome. Thank you so much for joining me. And thank you to all who are listening. If you want to learn more, all the links are provided in the show notes. And, make sure you follow us anywhere you, you get podcasts on Apple, Amazon, Spotify. Thanks again. Have a great day.