What Pharmgrade does

Pharmgrade is a U.S. agricultural biologicals company that develops, manufactures, and sells broad-spectrum microbial inoculant products designed to restore soil health, enhance nutrient uptake, and improve crop yields. The company was founded in the mid-1990s in Idaho Falls, Idaho, by the Tuttle family, and operates with a small, regionally distributed employee base spanning 11-50 people. Its core technology platform centers on proprietary AGBIOFILM® biofilm technology and multi-strain microbial formulations featuring 20+ beneficial bacteria and fungi (Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Trichoderma species) at high colony-forming unit (CFU) concentrations reaching up to 3.45 x 10^9 cfu/mL. The product portfolio includes seven core SKUs: Nitros (nitrogen fixation), Exponent (flagship broad-spectrum inoculant), Guardian (soil restoration), Slingshot (dry-formulation inoculant), Phinisher (late-season root crop treatment), MaxYield (tree, vine, and hops), and Valley Bio N (nitrogen-fixing inoculant), with multiple products holding OMRI certification for organic use.

Pharmgrade sells its biological inputs through a hybrid GTM combining dedicated regional sales representatives covering California, Idaho/Nevada, Washington/Oregon, and Wyoming/Nebraska, alongside agricultural dealers and distributors serving Western, Midwest, and Southern U.S. markets. Products are applied via foliar spray, fertigation, in-furrow, and dry fertilizer blending at rates measured in gallons per acre or pounds per ton. The company positions on broad-spectrum microbial diversity versus single-strain competitors, performance field-trial data (27% yield boost in dryland barley trials, 15-20% fertilizer efficiency improvement, 10 units of nitrogen equivalent per gallon of Nitros), and a stated 4:1 average ROI across more than 20 years of grower deployment. Application of OMRI certification, 30+ years of brand history, and 80+ peer-reviewed citations underpin market credibility.

In January 2026, Pharmgrade was acquired by HGS BioScience alongside NutriAg and Earthgreen to form a fully integrated biologicals platform operating 11 manufacturing facilities and two mines across the United States and Canada, with products marketed in more than 40 countries. The combined entity is intended to stack and blend technologies across the constituent brands to deliver measurable ROI to growers. Pharmgrade continues to operate as a sub-brand under HGS BioScience, retaining its product identity, regional sales structure, and Idaho Falls headquarters.

Name

Pharmgrade

Legal name

Pharmgrade

Website

https://pharmgrade.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pharmgrade is a U.S. agricultural biologicals company that develops broad-spectrum microbial inoculant products featuring 20+ beneficial bacteria and fungi, serving row crop and specialty crop growers across Western, Midwest, and Southern U.S. regions through direct and dealer-based distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biologicals (Biofertilizers / Microbial Inoculants)

NAICS

Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870)

akta.pro primary industry

Biofertilizers & Microbial Inoculants (IMAEAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbial/Enzymatic Soil Conditioners (Decomposer & Soil Health Consortia) (AFABADAK), Biostimulants & Plant Health Biologicals (Microbial/Non-microbial) (AFABAEAK), Compost Tea, Extracts & Microbial Inoculants (AFABAKAD)

Keywords

• Agricultural biologicals
• Microbial inoculants
• Biofertilizers
• Soil health products
• Nitrogen fixation inoculants

Headquarters

HQ city

Idaho Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Biological Inoculant Product Sales: Pharmgrade generates revenue through the sale of biological agricultural products including liquid and dry microbial inoculants. Products are sold directly through regional sales teams and through agricultural dealer/distributor networks across the United States, with application rates typically measured in gallons per acre or pounds per ton for dry formulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pharmgrade manufactures and sells broad-spectrum biological inoculants for agriculture, including liquid and dry microbial formulations that enhance soil health, fix atmospheric nitrogen, solubilize phosphorus, and improve plant resilience. The product line comprises seven core inoculants (Nitros, Exponent, Guardian, Slingshot, Phinisher, MaxYield, Valley Bio N) powered by proprietary AGBIOFILM® biofilm technology and blends of 20+ beneficial bacteria and fungi species. Products are applied via foliar spray, fertigation, in-furrow, or blended into dry fertilizer programs at rates measured in gallons per acre or pounds per ton.

Product overview

Pharmgrade is an agricultural biologicals company offering a suite of soil health and crop enhancement products powered by beneficial microbes. Their portfolio consists of seven core biological inoculant products: NITROS (biological nitrogen supplement), EXPONENT (flagship broad-spectrum inoculant), GUARDIAN (soil restoration solution), SLINGSHOT (dry fertilizer inoculant), PHINISHER (late-season reproductive enhancer for root crops), MaxYield (next-generation liquid for trees and vines), and Valley Bio N (nitrogen-fixing inoculant). All products are powered by proprietary blends of aerobic bacteria, facultative anaerobes, and Trichoderma fungi that work together to enhance nutrient uptake, improve soil structure, and strengthen plant resilience. The products utilize AGBIOFILM technology to create strategic exchange zones for nutrient flow and stress relief. Offered primarily in liquid formulations with application methods including foliar spray, fertigation, root drench, and in-furrow treatments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nitros: Sustainable nitrogen supplement that boosts atmospheric nitrogen fixation, reducing reliance on fertilizer synthetics.
• Exponent
• Guardian
• Slingshot
• Phinisher
• MaxYield
• Valley Bio N
• VITA

Products and services

• NITROS A sustainable nitrogen supplement that boosts atmospheric nitrogen fixation, reducing reliance on fertilizer synthetics. A concentrated liquid biological fertilizer featuring beneficial Bacillus and Trichoderma species that forms protective AGBIOFILM biofilms on roots and leaves.
• EXPONENT Pharmgrade's most advanced microbial inoculant, a broad-spectrum blend featuring oxygen-loving aerobes, adaptable facultative anaerobes, and leading strains of Trichoderma fungi that enhance root development, improve soil structure, and boost nutrient availability.
• GUARDIAN A biologically advanced PGPR (Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) solution featuring broad spectrum Bacillus and Trichoderma species that restores balance to create optimal growing conditions in the soil, replacing high-dose chemicals with a high-dose probiotic.
• SLINGSHOT A concentrated dry biological inoculant delivered in spore form, designed for growers who need a powerful microbial solution that fits into dry fertilizer programs where liquid delivery isn't feasible.
• PHINISHER A late-season biological for root crops (particularly potatoes) that supports effective growth and helps shift plant energy for bulking and harvest. A PGPR-based yield enhancer with potassium and organic acids.
• MaxYield A next-generation, concentrated broad-spectrum biological inoculant for trees, vines, and hops that promotes soil health and maximizes plant growth in long-term perennial crops.
• Valley Bio N A powerful nitrogen-fixing microbial inoculant that captures atmospheric nitrogen and converts it into plant-available forms, reducing reliance on synthetic nitrogen and supporting vigorous plants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27% yield boost in dryland barley trials with 3 oz/acre Slingshot application
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HGS BioSciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Pharmgrade has been acquired by HGS BioScience along with NutriAg, Earthgreen, and HGS itself to form a fully integrated biologicals platform. The acquisition brings together four agricultural biological companies to create a unified platform with the ability to stack and blend technologies to deliver measurable ROI for growers. The combined entity operates 11 manufacturing facilities and two mines across the United States and Canada, with products marketed in more than 40 countries worldwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Novonesis (Novozymes BioAg): Novonesis (merger of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen) is a global enzyme and microbial platform with extensive agricultural biologicals portfolios, including biocontrol and biofertility products serving the same broad-acre and specialty crop growers as Pharmgrade but at vastly greater scale and R&D depth.
• Valent BioSciences: Valent BioSciences (Sumitomo Chemical subsidiary) is a major global biorational and biological crop input company offering inoculants and biostimulants; it competes in the same dealer channel and broad-acre row crop market as Pharmgrade at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Symborg: Symborg (now part of Corteva) develops fungal and bacterial biofertilizers and biostimulants (e.g., BlueN, TwinN) for specialty and row crops, competing directly with Pharmgrade's Trichoderma-based Exponent and Guardian products in the broad-spectrum inoculant category.
• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag offers microbiome-based seed treatments and foliar biologicals (e.g., Biotrinsic, Indigo Carbon) for row crops, directly overlapping with Pharmgrade's broad-spectrum inoculant portfolio targeting similar US growers with microbial delivery technologies.
• Sound Agriculture: Sound Agriculture's SOURCE and AMPOURINE products are microbial and biochemistry-based inputs that improve nutrient availability and reduce synthetic fertilizer reliance — a direct functional overlap with Pharmgrade's Slingshot and Guardian nutrient-efficiency products.
• Pivot Bio: Pivot Bio develops microbial nitrogen-fixing inoculants for corn and other crops, directly competing with Pharmgrade's Nitros and Valley Bio N products in the biological nitrogen fixation category. Same target customer (US row-crop growers) and same biological-input go-to-market via dealers and direct sales.
• AgBiome: AgBiome develops microbial crop protection and plant health biologicals (e.g., Howler, Symborg-related assets), serving similar specialty and row-crop growers with proprietary microbial consortia comparable to Pharmgrade's 20+ species blends.

Emerging players

• Terramera: Terramera develops biocognitive inputs and biological crop solutions including nitrogen-use-efficiency and biostimulant products, serving overlapping sustainability-driven growers with technology-driven alternatives to synthetic fertilizers comparable to Pharmgrade's positioning.
• Holganix: Holganix produces broad-spectrum microbial soil products (e.g., Holganix Bio 800+) emphasizing beneficial bacteria consortia for agriculture and turf, competing with Pharmgrade's Guardian and Exponent in the high-CFU broad-spectrum category.
• BioConsortia: BioConsortia uses advanced microbial selection and gene-based trait discovery to develop nitrogen-fixing and yield-enhancing inoculants, aiming at the same biological-input adoption thesis as Pharmgrade but with a discovery platform approach versus Pharmgrade's field-validated formulation approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrEGiQ5eZzLdMkVKi-6F2wA
• Xx.com/Pharmgrade
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmgrade-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pharmgrade