Suståne staff are passionate about the job we do and the products we offer. The goal is simple: To produce the best organic on planet. With that, Suståne is one of the few organic fertilizer companies that is basic in its manufacturing. This means that Suståne controls the raw materials, the composting process and manufacturing process from start to finish.
Unlike many of the other “organic fertilizer” companies Suståne is not simply a marketing company that purchases finished product from toll manufacturers, wraps it in fancy packaging and hypes it with generalized platitudes about how good it is. Suståne operates its own full time, in-house analytical chemistry lab. Every product is tested to assure that it meets the labeled guarantee, uniformity and safety. Periodically samples of finished product are sent out to independent certified analytical labs to assure that the Suståne methods and equipment are producing accurate test results. Suståne retains product samples from every lot manufactured for up to two years after shipment. If there is ever a question about the integrity of the Suståne product used in the field, the customer can call to ask for a sample or or retest of the same production run.
The composting process destroys any potential pathogens such as salmonella and e-coli. The absence of pathogens are verified by routinely testing the finished fertilizer to ensure the health and safety of the product. Suståne fertilizers are also tested for heavy metal concentrations to ensure that the application of Suståne fertilizers do not contribute to the accumulation of metals in the soil. It is because of this attention to quality assurance and product safety that:
- The composting process destroys any potential pathogens such as salmonella and e-coli. The absence of pathogens are verified by routinely testing the finished fertilizer to ensure the health and safety of the product.
- Suståne fertilizers are also tested for heavy metal concentrations to ensure that the application of Suståne fertilizers do not contribute to the accumulation of metals in the soil. It is because of this attention to quality assurance and product safety that:
- Suståne is the only organic fertilizer allowed for export worldwide.
Suståne maintains product registrations in many countries all around the world. These export registrations would not be possible without extensive testing and strict processing controls to ensure and verify the safety of our products.
During the Suståne composting process internal windrow temperatures are routinely monitored and recorded to assure that 100% of the organic material has been subjected to thermophilic temperatures in excess of 135°F for a minimum of five consecutive days. At the end of the active composting and curing phase, the organic material is homogenous (uniform) and dark brown in appearance and has no odor including septic or ammonia gases. The parent materials are indistinguishable as the compost has an earthy, rich texture of humus.
We measure compost maturity or compost stability, in addition to continuous on-site temperature monitoring and record keeping Suståne routinely performs two analytical tests that provide objective measurements of compost maturity. The Solvita Compost Stability Analysis and the Dewar Self-Heating Flask Test.
The Solvita® test gives the Maturity Index for a sample of compost by measuring carbon dioxide respiration and ammonia content. Compost is placed inside a jar with two separate color-indicator “paddles” (one measuring carbon dioxide and one measuring ammonia). After four hours, the gel color is read by comparing the color to the provided color charts. Values are referenced on the tables provided and maturity is determined. Maturity is defined by resistant to further decomposition and free of compounds such as ammonia and organic acids, which can be toxic to plant growth. Test on Suståne compost rated a CO2 result of 6 and an NH3 result of 5 for a result of Mature.
The composting process destroys any potential pathogens such as salmonella and e-coli. The absence of pathogens are verified by routinely testing the finished fertilizer to ensure the health and safety of the product. Suståne fertilizers are also tested for heavy metal concentrations to ensure that the application of Suståne fertilizers do not contribute to the accumulation of metals in the soil. It is because of this attention to quality assurance and product safety that:
Suståne is the only organic fertilizer allowed for export worldwide.
Suståne maintains product registrations in many countries all around the world. These export registrations would not be possible without extensive testing and strict processing controls to ensure and verify the safety of our products.
Suståne’s basic products are also certified by the USDA as 100% Bio-Based products under the USDA BioPreferred program. BioPreferred is a registered trademark and term used by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA to characterize minimum levels of biocontent required in commercial or industrial products for purchases made by all federal agencies and their contractors. Under the BioPreferred Program, products are tested to assure the consumer that the product contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients (referred to as biobased content).