Windfall Bio reports higher lettuce yields in field trial of methane-derived FOUNDATION organic fertilizer

Windfall Bio has released new field-trial results indicating that its FOUNDATION organic fertilizer delivered substantially higher yields in romaine lettuce compared with conventional feather meal. The company said the product also performed on par with premium soy hydrolysate, offering growers a lower-cost option with comparable agronomic results.

The trial, conducted by Ag Metrics Group in Santa Maria, California, found that FOUNDATION increased yields by 23–34% over feather meal, based on total crop weight and lettuce head size. Windfall Bio stated that the performance gains could translate into higher returns for growers seeking to manage input costs while maintaining their output.

Josh Silverman, the company’s co-founder and chief executive, said the findings support several years of internal research and demonstrate the fertilizer’s potential as a scalable alternative to non-synthetic materials. Rising nutrient and transportation costs have prompted producers to explore options beyond traditional organic fertilizers.

FOUNDATION is produced using Windfall’s microbial platform, which converts methane from multiple gas streams into organic fertilizer. According to the company, the product offers both fast- and slow-release nitrogen, designed to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses compared to synthetic fertilizers. Its amino acid profile is intended to enhance nutrient uptake and stress tolerance while supporting soil microbial activity. The fertilizer is non-animal-derived, water-soluble, and pathogen-free, features that Windfall said make it suited to vegetables and leafy greens.

The fertilizer is OMRI Listed for use under USDA organic standards. Beyond romaine lettuce, Windfall Bio is running additional trials on tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and cold-season lettuce. The company said it is in discussions with growers, distributors, and consumer brands and is supplying samples to prospective partners.

Windfall Bio, founded in 2022 and based in San Mateo, California, develops technology that uses naturally occurring microbes to convert methane emissions into commercial products for agriculture and other industries.