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Despite being needed in small doses, Zinc plays a big role in plant health and is essential for enzyme activity, hormone production, protein synthesis, and early root growth. When soils are deficient in zinc, all of these processes suffer, leading to suboptimal yields.
Zinc sources are commonly included in starter fertilizer packages.
But chelated zinc products are evolving, so here we will compare traditional chelated zinc and Farmers First™ Zinc EPC™.
When people think of “chelated zinc” in starter fertilizer, they’re usually talking about a micronutrient zinc source bound to a chelating agent like EDTA (ethylene-diamino-tetraacetic acid) or EDDHA (Ethylenediamine-N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid)) or other organic ligands.
Generally, chelation means surrounding and protecting a positively charged molecule, like zinc, with a large, complex, negatively charged molecule. This interaction prevents the zinc from interacting with other soil components where it could potentially get trapped and “tied up.”
Farmers First™ Zinc EPC™ provides an enhanced peptide chelation of zinc. This newer, peptide-enhanced chelation of zinc is designed specifically for soil-applied starter use in the same way that traditional chelated zinc products are used.
Zinc EPC™ is a chain of amino acids, a peptide, that wrap around the positively charged zinc and protect it, rather than a synthetic chemical like EDHA or EDDHA. A key benefit of peptide chelation is a strong compatibility with highly acidic phosphate fertilizers, like Farmers First™ Inhabit P™, which can have limited compatibility with traditionally chelated zinc products.
Further, the peptide chelation provides more connection points to the zinc molecule, keeping the chelation stable for a long period of time. Peptides are not as persistent in the soil year after year like EDHA and EDDHA. Overuse of EDTA and EDDHA products can lead to their persistence in soils and tie up other nutrients in the soil, like phosphorus.
Once the peptide releases the zinc, plants or microbes can use the leftover peptides as additional nutrient sources, and the peptides won’t lead to future nutrient tie ups.
| Traditional Chelated Zinc | Zinc EPC™ |
Chelation Type | EDTA, EDDHA, or similar ligands | Peptide chelation |
Zinc Release Time | Fast to moderate | Moderate to slow |
Soil Persistence | Years | Months |
Tie-up with Other Nutrients | Moderate | Low / None |
Typical Use Rate | 2 pints / acre | 1 pint / acre |
Current Price / Gallon | $24.00 | $28.30 |
Current Price / Acre (Jan. 2026) | $6.00 | $3.54 |
Both traditional chelated zinc and Zinc EPC™ are designed to deliver plant-available zinc at a critical time for young crops.
Traditional chelates like EDTA are tried-and-true, providing reliable availability across soils, but can persist in soils and lead to future nutrient tie up.
Zinc EPC™, with its peptide-enhanced chelation, provides similar or better results with more stability, slower release, and less nutrient tie-up.
Choosing the right starter fertilizer shouldn’t mean choosing between short-term performance and long-term soil health.
While traditional EDTA chelates have long been the industry standard, Farmers First™ Zinc EPC™ represents a smarter evolution for your fields.
By leveraging peptide chelation, you’re not just getting a more stable, slow-release zinc source; you’re investing in a product that eliminates nutrient tie-up, integrates seamlessly with acidic phosphate fertilizers like Farmers First™ Inhabit P™, and actually leaves behind beneficial nutrients for soil microbes.
At a significantly lower cost per acre than traditional options, Zinc EPC™ delivers the efficiency and ROI today’s growers need.
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