Improving Small Farm Profitability Using Directed Energy Weed Management

The combined efforts of Global Neighbor Inc. (GNI) in collaboration with Texas A&M University will develop and inter-row directed energy system for non-chemical weed management and designate it as the DA-6NT. The proposed project seeks to prove the technical and commercial feasibility of a novel non-chemical weed control technology that builds on the prior work done by TAMU and GNI and that will provide small to medium-sized organic growers with higher efficacy and flexibility in their production systems. Small to mid-sized organic stakeholders are in dire need of affordable, resource-efficient weed management tools, and the proposed project aims to begin the development of such a device through a multi-organizational collaboration. The collaboration is a starting point that will foster further innovations through the combined efforts of a leading weed science research laboratory at an R1 (very high research activity) university, Texas A&M with a small business with engineering and market expertise (Global Neighbor Inc.).