BioSafe Systems

This interview details BioSafe Systems, a company based in the United States. The interview is with Eric Smith, National Sales Manager (Horticulture Division) at BioSafe Systems.

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What is the origin story of BioSafe Systems?

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The BioSafe Systems company was born of collaboration between an uncle with a greenhouse, a father who was a microbiologist, a cousin with a horticulture background, and an ambitious son with a marketing degree and a mind for business. Through the combined efforts and skillsets of the Larose family, BioSafe Systems was born into existence. 

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Rene Larose was a microbiologist who identified PAA as a chemistry that could disinfect chicken houses as successfully as chlorine and could be atomized for applications as efficiently as formaldehyde. His brother, Uncle John, a horticulture enthusiast with a degree in microbiology, owned the greenhouse that supplied Rob Larose’s first soil test. Rob, experienced in land remediation with a degree in marketing and business management put these pieces together, saw an opportunity, and got to work figuring out how to share this sustainable, non-toxic chemistry with the marketplace that clearly needed an alternative.

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Since the first PAA product registration, ZeroTol 2.0, BioSafe Systems has been manufacturing multiple products using proprietary chemistry for the protection of crops, water, animals, and people. To this day 25 years later the company maintains this connectivity with the Larose family with Rob’s daughter as President and CEO, his brother working with the engineering team, and his son holding positions in research and development and sales.

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What are some of the biggest challenges facing BioSafe Systems in the future? 

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As new pests/diseases are introduced via global trade it’s important to keep focus on research and development of not only new products, but new applications of existing products. This is where our collaborative efforts with university research/extension as well as private research institutions play a critical role in developing cost-effective solutions for the future generations of growers.

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What is unique about BioSafe Systems compared to competitors? 

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We are a small family-owned business that specializes in OMRI-listed, EPA-registered products, proudly made in the USA for all facets of CEA/indoor production- crop protection, facility sanitation and water treatment. Not built solely for one crop or market, our structure allows us to remain nimble when market dynamics shift and issues arise.

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What are some trends you are seeing at BioSafe in the market (broadly speaking)? 

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An improved focus by the growers on hard surface sanitation, as a food safety measure in the production areas. I think more growers are realizing the importance of scheduled down-time to ensure a thoroughly cleaned and disinfected growing environment for subsequent crops and the positive impact that can have on yield and marketability. With many CEA growers claiming ‘pesticide-free’ crops- they now realize they must double-down on facility sanitation to eliminate plant- and human-health pathogens.

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Alongside that, the broader realization that you can utilize biological control agents alongside chemical treatments- it need not be one or the other. With a true ‘Integrated’ Pest Management program growers can safely use organic pesticides while deploying BCA’s to keep general pest pressure well below damage thresholds. There are caveats to this of course so growers will want to lean on their BioSafe Systems’ Tech Rep and BCA suppliers to dial in their specifics. 

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Any predictions for 2024 and beyond in the horticulture space? 

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Barring political/economic catastrophe, we should see growth, albeit slight, in indoor farming as I believe the larger correction is over. Similarly in cannabis, where new states’ medical/recreational legalization efforts will continue to open new markets across the US, with I believe the larger culling of the legacy states’ markets nearing their end.

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For ornamentals, while the 2020-2021 boom might never be matched again, many of our customers still report being up over pre-pandemic sales levels and are reinvesting in the future of their companies. With many folks building and expanding it’s easy to remain optimistic about our industry- Growers are very resilient people- and we’ll be here to help.

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How can people connect with you or learn more about BioSafe Systems?

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Check out our website- www.biosafesystems.com. All product information and labels, company news as well as a contact us form to get pointed to your local Technical Representative. We are also on all major social media platforms. If folks want to reach me directly they can email me at esmith@biosafesystems.com or hit me up on LinkedIn or Instagram (eric_biosafe).

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