Key Takeaways:
- CIBO Technologies joins Sand County Foundation to support a USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
- The initiative includes $13.8 million in funding to support farmer-led groups in Illinois, Wisconsin, and parts of Iowa.
- CIBO Impact platform will streamline data collection, reporting, and program management.
- The partnership aims to accelerate cover cropping and soil health practices through farmer-led conservation.
- Technology will reduce manual processing and increase transparency for USDA NRCS.
CIBO Technologies partners with Sand County Foundation
CIBO Technologies, a sustainability software company for agriculture, announced its partnership with Sand County Foundation to support a multi-year Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funded by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The project was awarded $13.8 million in late 2023 to expand farmer-led conservation efforts across Illinois, Wisconsin, and parts of Iowa.
Program goals and funding
The initiative will establish new farmer-led groups in Illinois and expand existing groups in Wisconsin, with complementary work in neighboring Iowa. Funding is directed toward locally designed incentives that encourage cover cropping and other soil health practices, with the aim of scaling regenerative agriculture adoption.
Role of CIBO Technologies
CIBO Technologies will provide its CIBO Impact platform to streamline the program’s operations. The system enables flexible state-specific program configuration, centralized data collection, and digital reporting to USDA NRCS county offices. It supports real-time dashboards on enrollment, practice adoption, and outcomes, while reducing manual verification and processing.
“Managing a complex, multi-state program requires one go-to source for data,” said Craig Ficenec, Senior Director of Agricultural Conservation at Sand County Foundation. “With CIBO, we have a single, adaptable system that integrates multiple customized projects while improving transparency for NRCS. We can implement this RCPP effort faster and put more dollars into proven practices.”
Technology supporting conservation
CIBO Technologies emphasized that the platform is designed for partner-driven conservation programs and can expand to incorporate modeled outcomes, including greenhouse gas impacts, and support both public and private Scope 3 initiatives.
“CIBO was built for partner-driven conservation, helping to remove the barriers to regenerative agriculture adoption,” said Dan Ryan, President and CEO of CIBO Technologies. “Through the CIBO platform, we can facilitate greater access to funding, streamline fragmented data and workflows, and provide the technical and agronomic expertise needed for success.”
CIBO Technologies
Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2015, CIBO Technologies develops advanced digital tools to understand and manage agricultural systems at scale. Its work supports the transition to regenerative agriculture to address climate change and improve grower outcomes.
The CIBO Impact platform connects growers with companies pursuing sustainability and carbon reduction goals. Built on AI, ecosystem modeling, and computer vision, the platform enables land prequalification, impact verification, and quantifiable reporting across agricultural supply chains.
1 Comment