Star of the West Milling Company launched its 2026 Sustainable Tracking of Agronomic Resources (STAR) program, incorporating Ostara’s CG P2X™ fertilizer to help farmers deliver measurable sustainability outcomes while meeting growing demand from food companies for supply chain transparency. The program focuses on the Great Lakes Grain Initiative and is supported through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grant.
The STAR program enables Star of the West to provide downstream food companies with credible data on supply chain impacts, helping meet increasing sustainability reporting requirements. It is designed to create value for farmers who adopt or expand sustainability practices when supplying wheat, dry beans or food grade soybeans.
Star of the West Milling Co. is a 156-year-old company with headquarters in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It is a leader in the agricultural industry, serving customers in agronomy, beans (soy, edible, dry & organic), corn, wheat and flour. The company began with one flour mill, one location and one state and now operates 32 locations in six states including four flour mills in Indiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio. It has expanded to include five agronomy locations and eighteen elevators, along with dry bean and food grade soybean processing. Their organic division, Everbest Organics, operates in Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota.
Ostara is a leading producer of phosphate fertilizers designed to deliver nutrients when and where crops need them most. Its flagship product, CG P2X™, the next evolution of Crystal Green®, is the first and only highly efficient phosphate fertilizer proven to release nutrients in response to crop demand. Ostara CG Pearl® is a phosphate fertilizer made through advanced nutrient recovery. Ostara fertilizer products play a key role in the agriculture sector through a network of established retailers and distributors in North America and Europe. Learn more about Ostara at Ostara.com.
The implications of this announcement are significant for the agricultural industry and food supply chain. As food companies face increasing pressure to report and reduce their environmental impact, the STAR program provides a mechanism for farmers to adopt sustainable practices and for downstream companies to access verified data on those practices. This can help food companies meet sustainability reporting requirements and consumer demand for responsibly sourced ingredients. For farmers, the program offers financial incentives of up to $50 per acre, making sustainability adoption more economically viable. The use of Ostara’s CG P2X™ fertilizer, which releases nutrients in response to crop demand, can improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental runoff, contributing to broader goals of reducing agriculture's ecological footprint. The program's focus on the Great Lakes region also addresses regional water quality concerns, as the Great Lakes are a vital freshwater resource. By integrating advanced fertilizer technology and sustainability tracking, Star of the West is positioning itself as a leader in the transition toward more transparent and sustainable agricultural supply chains.
