About Us
Built on a Simple Belief
Agriculture works best when science, economics, and people are aligned.
OUR STORY
At SDG Plant Nutrition Consulting, we believe growers deserve better than pages of data and conflicting recommendations.
Too often, growers are asked to make high-stakes decisions based on fragmented soil test reports, products that overpromise, and advice that doesn’t connect soil science to economic outcomes. The result is uncertainty — and that uncertainty costs money every season.
Our mission is to change that. By combining sound agronomic science with practical, measurable outcomes, we help growers answer one of the most important questions in agriculture:
How do I know if what I'm doing is working?
That question is the foundation of everything we build.
MEET THE FOUNDERS
Dr. AJ Foster
Co-Founder | Head of Agronomy
“Agronomy is about balancing science with economics to ensure all participants are winners.”
AJ believes agronomy is more than nutrients, products, or recommendations. It is the process of understanding how biological, chemical, physical, and economic systems work together to create sustainable outcomes for growers.
Throughout his career in research, extension, and industry agronomy, AJ has seen that the best recommendations are not necessarily the most complex — they are the ones that create measurable value for growers while maintaining the long-term productivity of the soil.
This philosophy is the foundation of the Soil Efficiency Index (SEI™): helping growers understand not only what is happening in their soil, but whether their management decisions are creating meaningful improvement over time.
At SDG Plant Nutrition, AJ leads agronomic strategy, research, product development, and scientific validation.
OUR SHARED PHILOSOPHY
We believe growers don’t need more data. They need better decisions — and better decisions come from a better framework.
By combining agronomic science, practical economics, and evidence-based decision making, we built SEI™ to do one thing exceptionally well: help growers see whether their management decisions are moving the needle.
Because better insight leads to better decisions. Better decisions lead to better outcomes. And better outcomes create a stronger future for growers and agriculture.
Better Insight. Better Decisions. Better Soil.
WHAT DRIVES SEI™
SEI™ integrates four key drivers that determine how efficiently your soil system works.
Organic Matter — The Biological Engine
Fuels soil life, drives biological activity, nutrient cycling, and overall soil function. Without it, the system stalls.
Calcium Balance — The Structural Foundation
Builds strong soil structure, improves aggregation, water infiltration, and root growth. The architecture everything else depends on.
CEC — The Nutrient Storage System
Holds and exchanges nutrients so plants have access to what they need, when they need it. The capacity of the system.
Hydrogen Saturation — The Acidity Pressure
Indicates acidity pressure in the soil that suppresses nutrient availability and microbial activity. The hidden constraint that limits everything above it.
When these four drivers are in balance, your soil system works efficiently. SEI™ measures exactly where that balance stands — and what’s pulling it off course.
Built on a Simple Belief
Upload your soil test and receive your SEI™ report within 2–3 business days.