Avalo, which operates an AI-driven plant breeding platform, is supporting BCI and its network of cotton growers in the US to develop seed varieties that require less water and fertiliser.
By developing their own genetics, Avalo can reduce the time required to produce new, locally adapted varieties, allowing producers to respond more quickly to climatic challenges.
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The collaboration includes enrolling new producers for the 2026 season and piloting an online platform to improve data collection and reporting across several programmes.
BCI US senior country manager Ashley Barrington said: “Serving as both a BCI Member and local partner, Avalo is supporting the growers we work with by streamlining data collection and compliance processes across certifications while providing technical assistance in the field.”
BCI noted that Avalo’s progress in cotton breeding may help producers use fewer resources during a period of low market prices and increasing production expenses, which could affect both environmental and economic outcomes.
Avalo, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, reported that approximately two-thirds of its cotton sales are influenced by brands prioritising regenerative agriculture, with interest extending to how the programme addresses data collection and supports farmer equity.
The company has started collaborating with several BCI-certified farms in the Texas High Plains to plant its cotton varieties. This effort includes working alongside Quarterway Cotton Growers, a long-standing US programme partner of BCI.
Quarterway CEO and farmer Todd Straley said: “If this works, it will save us. With limited water and more intense heat on the Texas High Plains, breeding for more extreme conditions is the only way growing cotton in our region will remain viable for farming families. By partnering with Avalo and BCI, our organisations work toward a common goal of ensuring the resilience of Texas High Plains cotton.”
Avalo was present at BCI’s New York City Member and US Programme Partner Meeting in June and is scheduled to participate in BCI’s upcoming event “Cotton & Beyond: Regenerative Agriculture in the Texas High Plains” in September. BCI representatives will also join Avalo Farm Days in the region later that month.
Avalo chief commercial officer Tricia Carey said: “At Avalo, we work across data, agronomy and genetics to help farmers grow cotton that’s better for their land and their livelihoods, and partnering with the Better Cotton Initiative lets us bring that work directly to more growers, at scale.”
