EM can be used as an inoculant to create living soils. The microorganisms in EM are known to produce bioactive substances, vitamins, hormones, enzymes, amino acids, and antibiotics, which enrich and detoxify the soil. EM directly enhances plant growth and produces high yielding crops, which are drought, frost, pest and disease resistant without the need of any agricultural chemicals. Activated EM can also be used to create an environment where grease, mold, rust do not thrive due to the antioxidative properties of EM.

EM consists of a wide variety of effective, beneficial, non-pathogentic aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms cultured in diluted molasses that are mutually compatible with one another. EM is produced through a natural fermentation process and not chemically synthesized or genetically engineered. This mixture of selected microorganisms including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and photosynthetic bacteria are native to the North American Continent.

One of the most important concepts of EM is not the overall number of microorganisms present but the interactive relationship between the different species. Recent developments in EM Technology indicate that the beneficial effects of EM can be extended considerably beyond agriculture and the environment largely because of the antioxidant potential of EM cultures. Based on research and development activities in many countries, EM is increasingly viewed as a means of providing solutions to many problems of food production, depeltion of natural resources, environmental pollution, food safety and nutrition, and human and animal health.

For example EM inoculants have been used successfully to:

• improve soil quality and the growth, yield and quality of crops

• suppress malodors associated with livestock production

• enhance the growth and market weight of swine and poultry when used as a probiotic food additive

• improve the quality and shelf-life of fruits and vegetables

• improve the process technology for composting municipal waste (i.e.,garbage) and kitchen waste into high quality soil conditioner and biofertilizer

• improve the process technology for recycling other waste materials including plastics, paper, rubber, and textiles

• enhance human and animal health through the use of EM as a probiotic

• and around the house, EM can be used for household cleaner, for use in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry equipment and to assist in the control of pet odors and waste.

Articles out of the Netherlands in Ode Magazine highlighting EM and its use around the world, written by Marco Visscher

Click on NOFA Vermont review to see that Efficient Microbes (EM)™ was found to be in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program for use in organic livestock and crop production.

All of these applications of EM technology have been cost-effective and accepted by environmentalists and consumers around the world. EM is sold as a concentrate and can be added to water and applied as is or activated and extended up to 2000 times its volume. See activation instructions and dillution guide (in pdf format) for more details.

Using EM not only improves your domain but also improves the environment down stream. Due to the use of oxidative agricultural chemicals, cleansers and anti-bacterial products in today's society that now dominate our way of life, we must all think globaly and act locally to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. EM has the potential to suppress putrefactive microorganisms and re-establish a healthy sustainable microbial balance. For a wealth of information, please see our lilerature and video section; see what the creator Dr. Higa has to say about EM and its applications!