Limoneira Moves Forward with Deployment of LNC for Climate Smart Lemon Farming in Yuma, Arizona: Desert Control AS

SANDNES, Norway, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Desert Control is proud to announce that Limoneira Company, a Delaware corporation ("Limoneira"), following two years of successful pilot trials, is advancing with commercial deployment of Liquid Natural Clay ("LNC") at their citrus ranch in Yuma, Arizona. This move underscores Limoneira's dedication to pioneering sustainable agricultural practices and marks a significant step in the commercial market adoption of LNC.

Desert Control, on 31 January 2024, received a purchase order from Limoneira to apply LNC for an additional 6,652 trees over 60 acres at the Yuma ranch for the upcoming season. This deployment, targeted for completion by April 2024, is expected to have an immediate positive impact on improving water and nutrient efficiency vital to cultivating soil health for long-term productivity, yields, and quality of citrus cultivation under challenging desert conditions. The continued roll-out of LNC at Limoneira is anticipated to be executed in stages aligned with ongoing fallowing and forbearance programs as part of Limoneira's water conservation and sustainability strategy.

Edgar Gutierrez, Vice President of Farming Operations at Limoneira, comments, "Our decision to expand LNC deployment in Yuma is a testament to the effectiveness and scalability of Liquid Natural Clay in enhancing soil health. This technology optimizes the use of natural resources, paving the way for more sustainable and profitable desert farming practices, in close alignment with our sustainability programs."

The relationship between Desert Control and Limoneira started with a small technical LNC pilot project for 50 trees at the Yuma ranch in July 2022. The pilot's immediate positive impact on water conservation set the stage for an expanded pre-project covering 2,000 trees over 20 acres at the Yuma ranch in Q1 2023. "The journey from a small pilot to an extended pre-project, onwards to our first commercial deployment in the United States, highlights the growing confidence in our LNC technology and its scalability," says Ole Kristian Sivertsen, CEO of Desert Control.

Throughout the journey, Desert Control has achieved significant efficiency improvements vital to the scalability of LNC adoption. Production capacity per unit more than doubled, and the scale of application efficiency improved by more than 30X between the first 50 trees pilot in July 2022 and the 20-acre extended pre-project in Q1-2023. The improvements in application efficiency and scalability add significant value to the upcoming LNC deployments.

Limoneira's LNC roll-out marks an important milestone for Desert Control. This is the first entirely commercial adoption of LNC in the U.S., transcending the pilot program phase. The transition from pilot contracts to commercial deployments via the initial purchase order is an endorsement of LNC as a proven solution in sustainable agriculture.

"We are excited to expand our work with Limoneira as a frontrunner of sustainable and profitable desert farming practices," says Managing Director of Desert Control Americas, Marty Weems. The potential for continued LNC roll-out at the Yuma ranch is substantial as hundreds of acres gradually emerge from fallowing and forbearance programs to be replanted. The staged deployment with Limoneira is a foundational step for larger-scale projects and a testament to the feasibility and potential of LNC in the agricultural sector.

About Desert Control

Desert Control specializes in climate-smart AgTech solutions to combat desertification, soil degradation, and water scarcity. Its patented Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) restores and enhances soil ecosystems to reduce water usage and improve the efficiency of fertilizers and natural resources for agriculture, forests, and green landscapes. LNC enables sandy and arid soil to retain water and nutrients, thus increasing crop yields, plant health, and ecosystem resilience while preserving water and natural resources by up to 50%.

For more information, visit https://www.desertcontrol.com

About Limoneira Company

Limoneira Company, a 130-year-old international agribusiness headquartered in Santa Paula, California, has grown to become one of the premier integrated agribusinesses in the world. Limoneira (lē moñ âra) is a dedicated sustainability company with 11,800 acres of rich agricultural lands, real estate properties, and water rights in California, Arizona, Chile and Argentina. The Company is a leading producer of lemons, avocados, oranges, specialty citrus and other crops that are enjoyed throughout the world.

For more about Limoneira Company, visit www.limoneira.com

Cautionary Note:
Disclaimer related to forward-looking statements.

This release contains forward-looking information and statements relating to the business, performance, and items that may be interpreted to impact the results of Desert Control and/or the industry and markets in which Desert Control operates.

Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "aims", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "foresees", "intends", "plans", "predicts", "projects", "targets", and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections, reflect current views concerning future events, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and may be subject to change without notice. Forward-looking statements are not guaranteeing any future performance, and risks, uncertainties, and other important factors could cause the actual business, performance, results, or the industry and markets in which Desert Control operates in, to differ materially from the statements expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. 

No representation is made that any of these forward-looking statements or forecasts will come to pass or that any forecasted performance, capacities, or results will be achieved, and you are cautioned not to place any undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Ole Kristian Sivertsen
President and Group CEO

Email: [email protected] 
Mobile (NOR): +47 957 77 777
Mobile (USA): +1 650 643 6136