Adhering to the combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers, humic acid fertilizers hold great potential for future development.

　　China’s comprehensive quality‑control system for green food has now reached the food‑safety and quality standards of developed countries such as the European Union, the United States, and Japan, aligning with international norms. However, the fundamental challenge in producing green, safe food remains how to effectively address and prevent soil contamination. From a fertilization perspective, it is essential to integrate organic and inorganic fertilizers; the use of humic‑acid‑based fertilizers is the only viable option. When combined with chemical fertilizers, humic acids can generate a synergistic effect that yields results greater than the sum of their individual components.

　　A wealth of research demonstrates that humic acid is a close ally of inorganic fertilizers: it acts as a slow-release and stabilizing agent for nitrogen fertilizers, an efficiency enhancer for phosphate fertilizers, and a protective agent for potash fertilizers. It also serves as a regulator and chelating agent for micronutrients and mesoelements. Humic acid significantly boosts the efficacy of chemical fertilizers, making it the “Mount Everest” of the global fertilizer industry today.

　　The future development trends of humic acid–based fertilizers include智能化 (intelligentization), specialization, compounding, long‑lasting efficacy, granulation, and region‑specific formulations—essentially, “user‑friendly” fertilizers.

　　Over the past several decades, China’s fertilizer use has increased tenfold, yet grain production has only doubled, indicating that fertilizer application has clearly become excessive. If current practices of using fertilizers and pesticides persist, in 50 years one-third of China’s arable land will have turned into barren soil. According to expert estimates, at the present rate of pollution, it will take less than 30 years for the world to no longer have even an inch of clean soil.

　　According to foreign sources, the United States began promoting humic‑acid‑based fertilizers as early as the 1980s (1986). At that time, some in China advocated importing and conducting demonstration trials; however, the high costs of transoceanic shipping made such initiatives difficult for farmers to accept. In recent years, research and development of humic‑acid fertilizers have expanded beyond state‑run institutes to include private enterprises and various organizations, which have actively engaged in the study, formulation, and dissemination of these products—efforts that owe much to the reforms and opening-up policy.

　　In 2002, fourteen academicians from China’s soil and fertilizer community jointly submitted a letter to the State Council, highlighting the grave consequences of the unscientific use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides—namely, soil pollution, environmental degradation, and adverse effects on human health. This appeal immediately drew the attention of Premier Zhu Rongji and Premier Wen Jiabao. Premier Wen personally issued instructions stating that the excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers not only exacerbates environmental pollution but also leads to a decline in soil fertility, thereby becoming a major obstacle to the sustainable development of agriculture. He emphasized that the following measures must be taken to address this issue:

　　1. Promote advanced, practical technologies and ensure the rational application of pesticides and fertilizers.

　　2. Develop biopesticides and promote the use of natural enemies for the control of diseases and pests.

　　3. Encourage farmers to use farmyard manure.

　　4. Develop green and organic foods.

　　5. Guide the adoption of standards for reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, gradually decreasing their application rates. This is an important and urgent task in advancing the agricultural science and technology revolution; it requires early planning and deployment, strengthened guidance, and rigorous implementation.

　　In summary, the development and application of humic‑acid‑based fertilizers hold great promise. Only by adopting such fertilizers can we achieve the greening of agricultural chemical inputs and thereby advance the production and development of environmentally friendly agricultural products. The adverse effects of excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, along with corresponding mitigation measures, underscore the need for a multifaceted, integrated approach to boosting agricultural productivity.

　　The role of various agricultural productivity‑enhancing technologies cannot be assessed in isolation; they must be considered holistically. Even high‑yielding, well‑adapted varieties—though currently highly effective—are not the sole determinant of increased yields. Soil testing and formula‑based fertilization merely provide the foundation for tailored nutrient management. Only by integrating advanced agricultural practices—such as superior crop varieties, slow‑release single‑application fertilizers, highly efficient low‑toxicity pesticides, multifunctional machinery, conservation tillage, deep fertilizer placement, and water‑saving irrigation—can we develop “user‑friendly” technologies that farmers can readily adopt and benefit from. Only then can we truly achieve a synergistic effect where 1 + 1 > 2; no single technology, on its own, can ever deliver such an integrated outcome. As for fertilizer selection, applying multifunctional humic‑acid‑based fertilizers today represents the most cost‑effective and optimal choice.