The Complete Guide to Buying Humic Acid in Bulk: Drums, Totes & Freight

Why Buy Humic Acid in Bulk?

Humic acid is one of the few crop inputs where the per-unit economics improve dramatically at bulk quantities. The product is dense, heavy, and relatively stable — making it well-suited to drum and tote purchasing that eliminates the cost premium of small containers. A 275-gallon tote of concentrated humic acid can cover hundreds of acres and store in any shed or tank without degradation over a full season.

This guide covers everything you need to know: how to evaluate product quality, what concentration actually means, how drum vs. tote economics compare, and how to calculate freight to your farm.

What to Look for in a Liquid Humic Acid Product

1. Humic Acid Concentration (% by Weight)

Product labels list humic acid concentration as a percentage by weight. This is your primary quality indicator — but it doesn't tell the whole story, because concentration is useless without knowing what the analysis method was (different labs get different numbers from the same product) and whether the product contains fulvic acid in addition to humic acid.

A well-formulated premium product like Super Hume provides transparent concentration data and includes fulvic acid fractions, which are smaller molecules that penetrate cell walls and improve nutrient transport at the plant level. Many cheaper bulk humic acids are high in humic acid but low in fulvic, limiting their biological activity.

2. Source Material: Leonardite vs. Other Sources

Quality liquid humic acid is extracted from leonardite — an oxidized lignite with some of the highest natural humate concentrations found in any geological deposit. Leonardite from deposits in North Dakota and New Mexico is the industry standard for premium humic acid production.

Lower-quality products use coal fines, composted materials, or water-processed biomass. These can produce products that pass label claims at commodity concentration levels while delivering far less biological activity per gallon than true leonardite extract.

Ask your supplier: What is the source material? Where is it mined? What extraction process is used?

3. pH and Stability

Quality liquid humic acid products should have a pH between 9 and 11 (alkaline) — this is the chemical state that keeps humates in solution. Products with pH outside this range may have precipitated humates, inconsistent concentration by batch, or poor stability over time.

Drum vs. Tote Economics

Container	Volume	Coverage (1.5 qt/ac)	Coverage (1 qt/ac)	Freight (typical)
55-Gallon Drum	55 gallons	~147 acres	~220 acres	$120–$200 per drum (LTL)
275-Gallon IBC Tote	275 gallons	~733 acres	~1,100 acres	$200–$350 per tote (LTL)

Freight estimates vary by distance from distribution point and carrier. Calculate actual freight at BulkFarmer.com checkout using your ZIP code.

When to Buy a Drum vs. a Tote

Buy a 55-gallon drum if:

• You're trialing the product for the first time (lower commitment)
• Your operation is under 200 acres
• You don't have space for tote storage
• You want to run different products on different fields this season

Buy a 275-gallon tote if:

• You've used the product before and know your rates
• Your operation covers 400+ acres where tote quantities are natural
• You want the best per-gallon price
• You have tote storage capability (pallet spot in a shed or warehouse)

Freight Basics for Liquid Agricultural Products

Liquid fertilizer — including humic acid — ships via LTL (less-than-truckload) freight. Key things to know:

• Drums ship on pallets — typically 2–4 drums per pallet via standard LTL carriers. Most farms can receive LTL delivery with a loading dock or forklift; some carriers offer liftgate service if needed.
• Totes ship as individual pallet units — one tote per pallet position. Most IBC totes require a forklift or pallet jack for unloading. A liftgate can be arranged at checkout if you don't have unloading equipment.
• Freight costs scale with distance — Midwest farms typically pay $120–$250 per drum in freight. Coastal and Mountain West farms may pay $200–$400 per drum depending on freight lane.
• Full truckload (FTL) pricing is available for orders of 8+ totes — contact BulkFarmer.com via the bulk quote form for FTL pricing.

Storage Guidelines for Liquid Humic Acid

• Store out of direct sunlight — UV exposure can degrade biological activity over time
• Keep above 32°F / 0°C — freezing can cause precipitation and product separation
• If product freezes, thaw slowly and agitate thoroughly before use
• Shelf life is typically 2–3 years from manufacture date in proper storage conditions
• Do not store in galvanized metal containers — humic acid reacts with zinc coating

How to Calculate How Much to Buy

Use this simple formula:

Gallons needed = (Total acres × Application rate in qt/ac) ÷ 4

Example: 800 acres at 1.5 qt/acre = (800 × 1.5) ÷ 4 = 300 gallons → one 275-gallon tote plus one 55-gallon drum.

Round up — it's better to have a small remainder than to run short mid-application. Any remaining product stores well for the following season.

View current pricing and order Super Hume in drum or tote quantities at the Super Hume product page.