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 Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Global Neighbor, Inc. $125,000 on September 15, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212) to develop and demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility of the DA-6NT, an inter-row directed energy system for non-chemical weed management.

Global Neighbor, Inc. collaborates with Texas A&M University to develop this novel weed control technology targeting small to medium-sized organic growers. The project seeks to prove both technical feasibility and commercial viability of the directed energy system as an affordable, resource-efficient alternative to chemical weed management. The work builds on prior research conducted by both organizations and leverages Texas A&M's weed science research capabilities alongside Global Neighbor's engineering and market expertise.

The award covers the period from September 15, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with place of performance in Sugar Creek Township, Ohio. This Phase I SBIR award is structured to demonstrate scientific and technical feasibility of the innovation while establishing market potential as a prerequisite to potential Phase II funding. Texas A&M University participates as a sub-recipient in the collaborative development effort.

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.).