The Cornhusker NAMA Chapter gathered at Midwest Laboratories, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, on October 23, for an educational tour of their lab.

The company started in 1975 by testing soils for agriculture. Today, the business has expanded into other areas of testing for agriculture, including: fuels, fertilizer, lime, manure biosolids and compost, pesticides, plant tissue, seed, and microtoxins, along with food and pet food.

The NAMA group witnessed two semis filled with boxes of soil samples as they arrived early in the morning.  Later in the tour, the group saw an unprecedented volume of soil being unpackaged, ground, dried, and ultimately tested for nutrients using state-of-the-art equipment in each stop along the tour.

When tour guide and Midlands NAMA Social Media chair, Brent Pohlman, was asked about the differentiators Midwest Laboratories offers its clients, he stated, “Turnaround time is key. From the time we receive a soil sample to the time we deliver the results to our client is essential to keep farm production running smoothly.”  According to Brent, the company is responsible for testing 20,000-30,000 samples of soil in 2-3 days.

When it comes to spreading the word to the agricultural community, Pohlman said, “We are always looking for a new way to add value to our service delivery.”  The company is under a marketing initiative to bring the lab closer to its clients by utilizing videos and live streaming at shows, in social media and on the web.