Key Takeaway:
- Earnest Agriculture plans new funding round to scale Prairie Power Soybean production and distribution
- Field trials show consistent 6% yield increases across multiple U.S. states in 2023–2024
- Company targets treatment of over 50,000 acres in 2026 while pursuing nitrogen reduction and soil health benefits
- Funding will support scaled production, regulatory work, and market expansion
- Earnest Agriculture also plans to launch Prairie Power Corn in 2026
Earnest Agriculture Expands Production of Microbial Farm Input
Earnest Agriculture, an agricultural biotech company based in Illinois, has announced its next stage of growth, focusing on scaling production and distribution of its Prairie Power Soybean product. The company’s microbial farm input has demonstrated consistent yield improvements of 6% across 2023 and 2024 field trials in several states.
The upcoming funding round, expected to close by Q1 2026, will finance increased production capacity, regulatory activities, and broader market access. Earnest Agriculture aims to treat more than 50,000 acres with Prairie Power Soybean during the 2026 growing season.
Prairie Power Soybean Delivers Proven Economic Results
Field trials show that Prairie Power Soybean delivers measurable economic gains for farmers, averaging a 6% yield increase — equivalent to 4.5 additional bushels per acre, or roughly $45 in added revenue at $10 per bushel. Internal testing also indicates nitrogen savings of up to 20 pounds per acre, potentially reducing fertilizer costs by $8 per acre.
“Farmers don’t care about flashy tech—they care about whether it works in their soil, with their crop,” said Co-Founder Eddy Mejia. “That’s what we built Earnest to deliver: performance backed by proof.”
Earnest Agriculture’s Platform Uses Prairie Microbial Communities
Earnest Agriculture’s proprietary discovery platform identifies and combines beneficial bacteria from native prairie ecosystems to enhance crop performance and soil health. By applying phenotyping, sequencing, and computational analysis, the company develops microbial consortia optimized for real-world field conditions.
“Nature already solved the problem, we’re just decoding it,” said Co-Founder and Scientist Dr. Gabe Price. “Our job is to match the right microbes together so they help each other, and the plant, thrive.”
Unlike single-strain or genetically modified biological products, Earnest Agriculture’s approach relies on natural microbial communities that work symbiotically to improve resilience and productivity.
Partnerships and Future Product Expansion
Earnest Agriculture is pursuing collaborations with seed developers, ag retailers, and research institutions to integrate its microbial platform into existing agricultural systems. The company also invites Midwest farmers with more than 1,000 soybean acres to trial Prairie Power Soybean on 40-acre test plots in 2026.
Building on the success of its soybean product, Earnest Agriculture plans to launch Prairie Power Corn next year. The new product will continue addressing challenges such as declining soil health, rising input costs, and chemical overuse.
