Star of the West Milling Co. has launched its 2026 Sustainable Tracking of Agronomic Resources program, or STAR, offering participating farmers up to $50 per acre for adopting or expanding sustainability practices in wheat, dry beans and food-grade soybeans.
The Frankenmuth, Mich.-based company says STAR is designed to connect on-farm sustainability practices with rising demand from food companies for supply chain transparency and measurable environmental outcomes. The program is focused on the Great Lakes Grain Initiative and is supported through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Advancing Markets for Producers grant. Through Star of the West’s retail agronomy network, participating growers can receive compensation for data reporting, access to soil health sampling and potential additional payments tied to strong soil health scores. The program also includes incentives for practices such as cover crops, reduced tillage and lower-emissions fertilizer options, including Ostara’s CG P2X fertilizer.
“We’re directly supporting sustainable practices and linking them to food company demand,” said Katie Adam, grower partnerships advisor and project lead at Star of the West. “We are focused on connecting what the farmer sees as possible with what our customers need, rather than making assumptions or demands.”
The program will help Star of the West provide food companies with credible supply chain impact data as sustainability reporting requirements continue to grow. “Our food customers are asking for more transparency and measurable progress across their supply chains,” said Lisa Woodke, sustainability director at Star of the West.
“This program is how we meet that demand — by working directly with farmers and partners to deliver high-quality ingredients supported by Ostara’s CG P2X fertilizer and backed by credible sustainability outcomes.”
CG P2X Adds Fertilizer Efficiency to STAR Program
Ostara recently announced a higher-analysis formulation of CG P2X, now a 9-42-0 fertilizer with 9% magnesium. The company says the updated formula delivers nearly 30% more nitrogen and phosphorus while maintaining performance across a range of soils, crops and growing conditions.
Produced in St. Louis, CG P2X is designed to release nutrients in response to crop demand. According to Ostara, plant roots and beneficial fungi interact with the fertilizer granules, making nitrogen, phosphorus and magnesium available through biological activity in the soil. The company says that approach helps reduce inefficiencies commonly associated with traditional phosphate fertilizers, including soil tie-up, runoff and leaching. The higher-analysis formulation also allows growers to apply fewer pounds per acre, reduce handling and transportation needs, and improve nutrient efficiency.
“This is a meaningful step forward in fertilizer efficiency,” said Ron Restum, chief commercial officer at Ostara. “We’ve concentrated more plant-available nutrition into every granule so growers can move less product, apply fewer tons and still get superior, consistent performance in the field.”
Ostara says CG P2X has demonstrated performance across conventional, air-seeding and no-till systems, as well as diverse soil types and pH levels. The company also cites research across 151 trials showing a consistent yield advantage.
“No matter the soil, system or analysis, the outcome is the same: more consistent nutrient utilization and stronger crop performance,” said Mike Howell, vice president of agronomy at Ostara. “This new formulation amplifies that advantage by delivering more nutrition per ton, creating even greater operational and economic value for growers.”
For Star of the West, the fertilizer also supports sustainability reporting tied to emissions and nutrient losses. “Using CG P2X makes sense on the farm and helps simplify how we meet transparency and emissions data needs,” Woodke said. “For us, CG P2X is an efficient way to support reduced emissions in our supply chain. It’s our easy button.”
Austin Omer, director of sustainability at Ostara, said programs such as STAR show how farmer incentives, agronomic tools and food company sustainability goals can align. “Third-party evidence shows enhanced-efficiency fertilizers deliver meaningful environmental impact with a high level of confidence, while also creating value for farmers and providing food companies with cost-effective options to meet sustainability goals,” Omer said. “The future of sustainable sourcing isn’t about mandates; it’s about alignment and adopting proven innovations like CG P2X. When farmers, innovation and customer demand come together, that’s where real progress happens.”
Farmers, agronomy partners and food companies interested in the STAR program can contact Star of the West through its retail agronomy network.
