At left, to protect its assets and safeguard the surrounding area, all of CPS Aylett’s liquid product offerings are kept under roof and feature spill pads and proper contain- ment. Below, roof cover and containment was recently added on to better protect the nutritional products area.


Getting growers on board with higher-


level agronomic services to improve input utilization is also a focus. “We believe in being in the field with our customers, taking soil samples, scouting fields, collecting tissue samples, calibrating rigs, or just talking farm- ing and sustainability practices,” says Longest. “We know that when we do our jobs as far as knowing the field, knowing the crop, and knowing the desired outcome, then we will be able to use our resources to meet the customer’s needs in a responsible and sustainable way.” The sandy soils of east-central Virginia pose a


number of nutritional challenges that create oppor- tunities for Longest’s team to help growers balance crop needs with environmental stewardship. To this end, the outlet offers a variety of unique products that Longest says work to make nutrients available to crops while reducing leaching and atmospheric loss. “Many of our custom plans include biochemical


catalysts designed to significantly increase fertilizer efficacy and overall plant health by improving nutri- ent availability and uptake while enhancing nutrient use efficiency,” he says. CPS Aylett is a part of the community fabric, and


management and employees are engaged in myriad ways. As a model retail facility in the state, Longest


and his team have allowed the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to train their employees on the EPA’s container containment regu- lations. “CPS’ overall corporate standards already surpass Virginia state requirements,” notes Longest.


Community Commitment The company is also active with the public. Em-


ployees have performed post-hurricane clean-up of local churches, headed up food and coat collection drives for the needy, shared their positive environ- mental story at local schools and clubs, and hosted community open houses. Longest says the key to CPS Aylett’s success when


it comes to stewardship and improvement is, never let your guard down. “You need to keep expecta- tion at a high level and get the entire team on board and understanding just how important safety and stewardship is,” he explains. “If you allow things to slide, it can get away from you in a hurry,


and it’s very difficult to right the ship again.” — Paul Schrimpf


July 2015


ENVIRONMENTALRESPECT.com


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