Higher Ground Plant Consulting
About Us
Higher Ground Plant Consulting exists to close the gap between agricultural science and real-world results. We provide expert consulting in plant science, experimental design, regulatory compliance, and precision agriculture — delivering the kind of rigorous, data-driven work that growers, researchers, and ag-biotech companies need to move forward with confidence.
Work With Us
At Higher Ground Plant Consulting, we believe in the power of collaboration to drive agricultural innovation and success. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of expertise and support across a wide range of services.
Founder
Founder & Principal Investigator
When growers, biotech startups, and research institutions run into problems that standard agronomists can't solve — regulatory roadblocks, failed field trials, products that don't perform at scale — they call a scientific consultant. I built Higher Ground Plant Consulting to be exactly that resource.
I'm Dr. Brian C. King, PhD, MBA. I've spent more than 20 years at the intersection of agricultural science and applied research, working across crop production, crop protection chemistry, controlled environment agriculture, nutraceuticals, bio-stimulants and precision ag technology. I've designed and executed field trials on three continents, served as Chief Scientific Officer for a UK-based agricultural biotech firm, and managed over $9.5 million in research funding as Principal Investigator — including active federal partnerships with the VA and ongoing work toward NSF and DoD grants.
My approach is rigorous and practical. I hold a PhD in Crop Science, an MBA, and a BS in Agricultural Biotechnology — all from the University of Kentucky — and I've spent two decades translating that foundation into results that work in the real world: optimized production protocols, regulatory submissions that actually pass, experimental designs that produce defensible data, and business strategies grounded in science rather than speculation.
Higher Ground works with clients who need more than a generalist. If you're navigating USDA, EPA, or FDA compliance, developing a novel agricultural product, designing a research program, or trying to make sense of inconsistent results in the field or the lab, We can help. Every engagement is led personally by me — not handed off to junior staff.
Dr. Brian C. King has been featured on PBS discussing cannabinoid science and agricultural applications.