Center-pivot irrigation over a cornfield at sunset with mountains in the distance

A natural approach to a healthier planet

Authentic EM® Technology. Direct from the source.

Naturally occurring beneficial microorganisms for soil, compost, water, and everyday living, made in Tucson by the sole authorized manufacturer of EM Technology® for the United States and Canada.

Farming at scale? Request a bulk quote

What is EM Technology®?

A natural, stable microbial community.

Effective Microorganisms® (EM®) are three groups of naturally occurring, beneficial microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and photosynthetic bacteria, kept together as one stable community. Professor Teruo Higa developed EM Technology® at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, and it is used today in more than 100 countries. The organisms are not genetically modified.

Learn more about EM®
Scanning electron micrograph of lactic acid bacteria
Lactic acid bacteriaFermentation and stability
Scanning electron micrograph of yeast
YeastsEnzymes and useful compounds
Scanning electron micrograph of photosynthetic bacteria
Photosynthetic bacteriaNutrient cycling and balance

Scanning electron micrographs © 2018 Gustavo Pinoargote. All rights reserved.

Flagship EM® products

Made under license from EM Research Organization, Inc.

View all products
Forklift carrying a 275-gallon tote of EM•1® to a cornfield

For commercial operations

Bulk EM•1® from the manufacturer

Pails, drums, and 275-gallon totes shipped from Tucson. Our technical team works with you on your crop, acreage, and current program, and provides safety data sheets and organic-compliance documentation.

Prefer to talk? 520-492-2010, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 (Arizona time)

Four decades of documented work

From Professor Higa's laboratory in Okinawa to growers and partners across the Americas.

  1. Early 1980s

    EM® is developed in Okinawa

    Professor Teruo Higa, a horticulture researcher at the University of the Ryukyus, found that specific groups of naturally occurring microorganisms could be combined into a stable, beneficial community. He named them Effective Microorganisms®.

    About Professor Higa
  2. 1997

    First U.S. patents granted to Dr. Higa

    U.S. Patent 5,591,634 describes a microbiological method for processing organic waste materials. U.S. Patent 5,602,065, granted the same year, describes a process for preparing functional ceramics.

    Read U.S. Patent 5,591,634
  3. 1998

    A further patent on organic waste processing

    U.S. Patent 5,707,856, also granted to Teruo Higa, extends his microbiological method for organic waste materials.

    Read U.S. Patent 5,707,856
  4. 2002

    EMRO USA begins manufacturing in Tucson

    Founded as EM Hawaii in 1997 and incorporated in Arizona in 2001, EMRO USA began manufacturing EM•1® in Tucson in November 2002 as the authorized manufacturer for the United States and Canada.

    About EMRO USA
  5. 2018

    Peer-reviewed aquaculture research

    Studies of EM•1® in shrimp production, conducted at the University of Arizona, were published in Aquaculture Research and the Journal of Probiotics & Health.

    See the citations
  6. Today

    Used in more than 100 countries

    EM Technology® is applied in agriculture, environmental management, and everyday living worldwide. EMRO USA supplies the United States and Canada.

Patents are cited as part of the historical and scientific record of EM Technology®. The patents listed have expired, and EMRO USA does not represent any product as covered by them.

Young seedling growing from dark, moist soil in morning light

Healthy soil. Living water. Stronger communities.

EMRO USA brings EM Technology® to the United States and Canada, working with growers, families, and communities toward a more sustainable future.

About EMRO USA

EM®, Effective Microorganisms®, EM Technology®, EM•1®, ProEM•1®, and EM•X Gold® are trademarks of EM Research Organization, Inc. (Japan), used under license by EMRO USA, Inc. OMRI Listed® is a registered trademark of the Organic Materials Review Institute.