How AG-USA Uses Fungi and Sea-Based Minerals to Transform Agriculture

Paul Schneider Jr. showing topsoil and healthy grass after treatment with MycorrPlus.

What Is Healthy Soil?

Healthy soil is a living ecosystem. It contains the right balance of minerals, organic matter, air, and water, but more importantly, it is rich in microbial life. Beneficial bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, and other organisms work together to cycle nutrients, build soil structure, suppress disease, and support plant health. Healthy soil retains moisture, resists erosion, and requires no chemical inputs, making it the cornerstone of sustainable agriculture.

While macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are well known, trace minerals like zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, and potassium are equally important in supporting microbial and fungal life. These minerals enable enzymatic processes, energy transfer, and nutrient uptake. A deficiency in just one trace element can disrupt the delicate balance of soil life and plant health.

AG-USA and Mycorrhizal Fungi: The Hidden Network Beneath Our Feet

Mycorrhizal fungi are organisms that connect to plant roots and form underground networks; they have a symbiotic relationship with plants. These fungi extend the reach of plant roots, helping them access water and nutrients. Plants supply the fungi with carbon rich sugars, this exchange enables drought resistance and nutrient absorption. They play an important role in regenerating degraded soils and boosting carbon sequestration. 

Healthy soil is alive with microbial and fungal networks that work with plants. While fertilizers may offer a temporary boost, the long-term key to soil and crop resilience is supporting the biological systems that maintain soil health.

A company leading this charge is AG-USA, whose innovative product MycorrPlus combines sea-based minerals with microbial life to regenerate soil from the ground up.

AG-USA is a company that carries a variety of natural products created to improve agricultural wellbeing. In 1969, animal nutritionist Paul Schneider founded Tech Ag, which focused on supporting livestock health through mineral supplementation. Over time, he recognized that improving soil health led to crops becoming more nutrient-dense and as a result livestock health improved naturally.

Now led by Paul Jr. and family members, AG-USA continues this mission. Their flagship product, MycorrPlus, is the culmination of decades of research and a commitment to regenerative agriculture.

AG-USA emphasizes the role of ocean-derived trace minerals in supporting mycorrhizal fungi. Key minerals and their associated benefits include:

Carbon, though not a mineral, is also included. Carbon from plant sugars fuels fungal growth. MycorrPlus stimulates plants to sequester more carbon, thus feeding fungi and other microbes.

MycorrPlus-A and O combine ocean minerals with 20 strains of aerobic bacteria and four strains of mycorrhizal fungi. This biostimulant introduces beneficial organisms to the soil while helping to establish and sustain them. MycorrPlus regenerates soil life and promotes long-term fertility that works by restoring life to the soil. It is not just a short term boost.

Environmental and Agronomic Benefits

Mycorrhizal fungi can remove excess salt from soil. Salt can be left in soil by synthetic fertilizers, manure, and poor-quality irrigation, leading to stress and impaired nutrient uptake by plants. Additionally, too much salt in soil can degrade soil structure, making it difficult for water and air to enter.

MycorrPlus supports the microbial and structural improvements that allow salts to leach more effectively from the root zone, restoring balance and promoting healthier plant growth.

This leads to moisture retention, improved soil structure allows soil to absorb and retain water more efficiently. This not only reduces irrigation demands but also buffers plants against drought conditions.

Mycorrhizal fungi secrete laccase and manganese peroxidase, enzymes that can break down organic pollutants and synthetic dyes into less harmful compounds, as indicated by this study. Microbial activity is stimulated by MycorrPlus, accelerating the degradation of persistent toxins, reducing their long-term environmental impact and restoring soil vitality.

How MycorrPlus Transforms Soil

Transformation depends on application timing, soil type, and environmental conditions.

• Sandy soil in summer: Noticeable yield increases in as little as six weeks.
  
• Sandy loam in spring: Visible improvements in 3–5 months.
  
• Clay soils: Enhanced drought resistance within six weeks.
  

Best Practices: To maximize benefits, AG-USA recommends minimal tillage, cover cropping, reduced chemical inputs, use of natural amendments like rock dust and manure, and rotational grazing. These practices support microbial life and enhance MycorrPlus performance.

Cautions: MycorrPlus raises soil pH by stimulating carbon sequestration, which binds hydrogen ions. Acid-loving plants like blueberries may require cautious use.

Untreated Field
	Tight soil  Anaerobic bacterial activity  No earthworms  Reduced plant growth
Treated Field
	Flocculated soil  Aerobic bacterial activity  Abundance of earthworms  Increased plant growth

What else does AG-USA do with Sea Minerals?

While AG-USA develops agricultural products like GroPal and MycorrPlus to improve crop and livestock outcomes, Paul Schneider Jr. ‘s company Max-Well extends this mission to wellness through a line of concentrated sea mineral products. Max-Well’s offerings include three supplements formulated to support health using sea minerals: Ionic Sea Minerals, Ocean Treasure, and SeaBoost Cream.

Ionic Sea Minerals is a liquid or powder drink mix, crafted by condensing ocean water while removing ~99% of the sodium. Ocean Treasure is a sea mineral and vegetable capsule supplement created to provide trace minerals and phytonutrients that may contribute to immune support (based on research by Dr. Maynard Murray). SeaBoost Cream is a balm made of sea minerals, sea collagen, nutrient-dense oils and herbs. It is formulated to moisturize skin without synthetics.

What’s Next for AG-USA?

AG-USA is expanding internationally, with trials in Central and South America, India, Nepal, Kenya, and Ghana. Their new companion product, PaleoPower, helps break down glyphosate and synthetic chemicals. Conventional farmers using herbicides often see reduced effectiveness due to chemical interference with microbial life. PaleoPower aims to bridge that gap.

Healthy soil is more than dirt—it’s a vibrant ecosystem that sustains crops, livestock, and ultimately, human life. Mycorrhizal fungi, trace minerals, and microbial communities are the pillars of this system. AG-USA’s MycorrPlus stands out as a powerful tool for restoring degraded soils, increasing yields, and sequestering carbon naturally. As agriculture evolves, solutions like these will be at the heart of building a healthier planet from the ground up.

Alejandra Caballero Garcia is a marketing insights professional with a passion for sustainability, she graduated from the University of Denver with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Anthropology. Her writing highlights businesses championing sustainable agriculture and the intersection of carbon capture and community development.