08/27/2026

Better Cotton Initiative partners with Avalo in AI plant breeding for climate-resilient cotton (8/27/26)

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agriculture solutions company Avalo, whose platform accelerates the speed at which plants with key resiliency traits may be developed. Informed by nature and powered by AI, Avalo’s platform revolutionises plant breeding for climate- resilient crops, including cotton, by identifying key plant traits to develop seeds requiring less water and fertiliser. In creating their own genetics, the company is able to shorten the time it takes to develop new and more locally-adapted varieties, which would enable producers to more quickly adapt to climatic issues. Avalo has worked with BCI in enrolling a significant number of new producers for the 2026 season, testing an online platform intended for use among multiple programmes to collect and report data. Ashley Barrington, BCI Senior Country Manager – US 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.” The company’s developments in cotton would also mean fewer inputs needed at a time when prices are low and production costs have been mounting, signifying environmental as well as financial impacts. Avalo reported that roughly two-thirds of their cotton sold was based on brand demand from those committed to regenerative farming. Brands were interested in the programme not only for its advancement in regenerative agriculture, but also the data and farmer equity aspects. BCI-Certified farms in the Texas High Plains have already begun contracting with Avalo to grow its cotton varieties. The company is working with BCI’s longtime US Programme Partner, Quarterway Cotton Growers, who were eager to get involved. Quarterway CEO, BCI Group Manager and cotton 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 represented at BCI's NYC Member & US Programme Partner Meeting this past June and will be participating in the organisation’s upcoming US field event Cotton & Beyond: Regenerative Agriculture in the Texas High Plains, in September. BCI’s Ashley Barrington will also take part in the region’s Avalo Farm Days later that month. Tricia Carey, Avalo’s Chief Commercial Officer, 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. Together, we can lower the impact of cotton production while strengthening the resilience and profitability of the farmers at the heart of it.” To learn more about BCI’s collaboration with Avalo, contact us.team@bettercotton.org .