CoverCress Inc., a St. Louis, Missouri-based agtech company, has partnered with Bunge on a “long-term commercial partnership” that will involve processing grain to develop renewable fuels. CoverCress said the grain it provides to Bunge will be produced through its contracts with farmers to plant its crop on their land.
“Bunge is pleased to expand our relationship with CCI to continue to develop next generation lower carbon feedstocks, which will also help meet the growing demand for renewable fuels,” said Greg Heckman, Bunge CEO. “We believe rotational cover crops will play a key role in our strategy in connection with the recently announced partnership with Chevron. Together, we share a commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon in our value chains.”
Founded in 2013, CoverCress has developed a rotational, oilseed cash crop to provide winter and early spring soil cover between corn harvest and soybean planting. It says its crop, based on the native plant pennycress, will produce low carbon intensity oil that’s slated to be used to produce fuels.
CoverCress CEO Mike DeCamp said the company’s commercial partnership with Bunge marks a major milestone and creates a “true farm-to-fuel value chain all the way from the farm field into a diesel truck tank” for its crop.
Missouri’s agtech industry is leading the way with innovative technology and research in plant science and animal health that is transforming agriculture. Big data, smart farming, input optimization, precision ag, prescription ag, biologicals, breeding, green chemistry, green pharmaceuticals – it’s all growing right here in Missouri.
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