Earnest Agriculture

Imagine if seeds carried the power to boost yields while enriching soils. This is the promise of seed coating inoculant—a solution that envelops seeds with beneficial microbes that gives each one a head start. Seed coatings promote healthier roots, enhance plants immunity, and help crops use nutrients more efficiently, which reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. By turning seeds into tiny powerhouses of growth, this technique holds the key to resilient, high-yield harvests and healthier soil ecosystems.

Earnest Agriculture, a veteran-led startup, is leading this transformative shift away from reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, toward natural, microbe-powered seed coatings that promote higher yields and healthier soils. Their goal is to empower farmers to produce more with less and cultivate a sustainable path forward for farming worldwide. At the core of its strategy is a tested platform that creates the ideal blend of microbes with perfect synergy.

“It’s like a matchmaking platform on steroids. Many types of bacteria don’t naturally work well together, so bringing them into harmony is a real innovation—and that’s exactly what we’ve achieved here at Earnest,” says Eddy Mejia, founder and CEO of Earnest.

The Power of Prairie Bacteria

Earnest's bacterial sourcing is as distinct as its technology. The company draws its microbes from rare prairie lands that account for less than 4 percent of North America. Unlike bacteria from traditional farmlands that have adapted to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, prairie bacteria have evolved in undisturbed ecosystems. This rare source gives Earnest's bacteria an edge, having honed their abilities to support plant resilience, promote growth, and naturally suppress diseases.

Leveraging the unique strengths of these prairie microbes, Earnest has developed two organic seed coatings suitable for both conventional and organic farming. The first is Prairie Power, a biostimulant designed as a soil amendment. It enhances nutrient use efficiency, specifically focusing on nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron to improve plant resilience, drought tolerance, and growth hormone stimulation. The second product, Prairie Plus, is a biopesticide that provides all the benefits of Prairie Power, with the added advantage of disease defense against pathogens like Pythium and Fusarium. These products aim to reduce operational costs by cutting down on fertilizer and pesticide use. Farmers can lower risk variability, minimize crop loss, and boost yields—all crucial benefits at a time when high harvest yields and low market prices make strong ROI imperative for survival.

Field-Proven Results and Expanding Partnerships

In extensive field trials, Earnest’s microbial products have shown impressive results. These include a seven percent yield increase compared to untreated crops, five percent better disease suppression than chemical alternatives, and 45 percent higher performance than other biological competitors.

In just two years, the company progressed from internal testing to high-profile trials with contract research organizations and universities. In total, Earnest has conducted 13 trials across the U.S. and Canada, partnering with organizations like Grand Farms in North Dakota, the University of Illinois, and AgLaunch in Tennessee. Next year’s planned commercial rollout will target the midwest with over 30+ locations, including collaborations with leading U.S. seed developers.

Leadership and the Vision for Sustainable Agriculture

Earnest’s progress is guided by a dedicated leadership team led by Mejia, a military veteran with engineering and business credentials, and Dr. Gabe Price, a microbial ecologist with over a decade of experience. Mejia’s experience spans multiple industries, but his commitment to supporting farmers drives Earnest’s mission. Dr. Price has dedicated his career to studying plant-microbe interactions and used this expertise to develop this microbial technology.

This powerful combination of leadership and innovation has earned Earnest recognition in prestigious programs like Creative Destruction Labs, Grand Farms, AgLaunch, Gener8tor, and IndieBioNY. At the SVG Thrive Global Impact Summit, and over 1K applications globally, the company earned a top 15 spot winning People’s Choice. Earnest is on a mission to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesiticides, enhance crop yields, and transform farming practices, making it a key player in sustainable agriculture to feed the world while safeguarding the planet’s resources.