Indigo announces partnership with Better Cotton Initiative

Indigo Ag, a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet, has joined the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) as a member and Implementing Partner. Through this partnership, US Indigo Cotton will be produced in accordance with the Better Cotton Standard System (BCSS) principles and criteria.

The BCSS is a holistic approach to cotton production covering three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic, with the principles and criteria supporting this. According to Indigo, they align with the company’s goals and include minimising the impact of harmful crop protection practices, improving water stewardship, enhancing fibre quality, and promoting healthier soil.

Indigo will support growers of Indigo Cotton throughout the BCI licensing process, conducting field-level training and outreach, verification visits, and data collection to demonstrate continuous improvement and quantify the benefits of producing Better Cotton for farmers and the environment.

Cotton growers who work with Indigo not only stand to gain from the Better Cotton programme – whose advantages include access to buyers of transparently-produced cotton and reduced on-farm input costs – but also from the productivity increases that stem from Indigo microbial seed treatments. In March, Indigo announced that its seed coatings boosted cotton yields by an average of 14% on commercial fields in water-stressed Texas. These results show year-over-year improvement of the company’s technology, as in 2016, Indigo Cotton saw 11% yield gains in a similar environment.

“At Indigo, we are aligning agricultural practices with consumer demands for food and fibre that is responsibly produced and sourced. The Better Cotton Initiative is a natural partner,” said David Perry, President and CEO of Indigo. “We look forward to joining BCI in their effort to establish Better Cotton as a sustainable and broadly accessible fibre.”

“Indigo has demonstrated a very strong commitment to helping their farm partners fulfil all of the requirements for Better Cotton licensing, and to using their considerable agronomic and data-gathering resources to help farmers make and measure sustainability improvements in their farming operations. We look forward to working with them,” commented Scott Exo, US Country Manager for BCI.