initiating progress

Weed Management Systems Contest fosters the development of effective solutions in agriculture

Meet the minds behind the methods.

Fostering Innovation: Developing Effective Solutions and Pioneering Strategies

We believe weed management is a promising area for innovation where the interests of the environmental, industry, and innovator communities are aligned to promote beneficial changes to agriculture. Reducing or replacing herbicides presents significant risks to farmers. To mitigate this risk while promoting farmer adoption of new solutions, we developed the Weed Management Systems Contest which is designed to catalyze innovation and support the transition toward integrated, effective, and resilient weed control systems.

Our Accomplishments

In the spring of 2025, we held a multi-stakeholder forum to evaluate the need, draft the design, and co-develop the contest framework. Farmer, industry, conservation, investment, and academic representatives identified ideal regions (e.g., Central Corn Belt) and developed rigorous metrics for measuring performance. Partnerships are emerging with academic, industry, and producer stakeholders.

  • Held an interactive workshop in April 2025 that convened 22 stakeholders, including: farmers (IA, IL, WI), Bayer CropScience, United Soybean Board, Landus Co-op, University of Wisconsin, Kansas State, and others

  • Co-designed a metrics-based, whole-farm systems contest framework

  • Defined ideal regions and crops for pilot (Central Corn Belt; corn, soy)

  • Outlined behavioral engagement strategies for farmers and advisors

  • Created multi-year measurement plans and public engagement tactics

The “why” behind the “what”

There are numerous existing technologies that can pair with herbicides for weed management. These can include agronomic changes such as cover cropping, changing crop planting density, and changing crop rotation, as well as novel technologies, including precision applicators (e.g., See & Spray) and autonomous mechanical weed removal.  

Herbicides in US agriculture is grossly high

TECHNOLOGY: POTENTIAL HERBICIDE SAVINGS

These potential reductions are also dependent on field weed biomass and historical weed management in a field (e.g., poor weed management with elevated weed seedbank vs. effective weed management with low weed biomass and small weed seedbank)

Expected Outcomes and Impact

The Weed Management Systems Contest is expected to drive significant improvements in the following areas:

Agronomic Outcomes 

  • Reduction in herbicide resistance  

  • Increased use of integrated weed management systems 

Economic Outcomes 

  • Identification of profitable weed management strategies 

  • Development of systems that support more than one practice (e.g., herbicides, robotics, UAVs and/or tillage) while maintaining or improving crop yield

  • Opportunities for tech providers and innovators to gain visibility and commercialize new tools 

Environmental Outcomes 

  • Enhanced soil health and biodiversity 

  • Reduced chemical impacts and lower environmental toxicity 

  • Improved water quality through reduced runoff and leaching 

Social and Cultural Impact 

  • Strengthened relationships within the farming community 

  • Increased public trust in the agricultural sector’s ability to address environmental challenges 

  • Empowerment of farmers to adopt sustainable practices and share knowledge with peers