CARTHAGE, Tenn., Nov. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Soil Inventory Project (TSIP) announced a new partnership with EarthOptics at The Climate Underground conference hosted by the former Vice President Al Gore and renowned chef and sustainable food systems advocate Alice Waters. This partnership formalizes the two organizations' commitment to share data and expertise to produce the most advanced insights into soil health and sustainability. TSIP, a science-led non-profit, and EarthOptics, a leader in advanced soil sensing and predictive analytics technology, will enhance data exchange to provide robust, trusted, and actionable information on soil carbon storage, greenhouse gas accounting, and farm sustainability for farmers and ranchers.
TSIP will soon launch the first-ever multi-model ensemble (MME) for agriculture developed by the Basso Lab at Michigan State University (MSU). This MME integrates eight peer-reviewed crop and biogeochemical models to reduce biases and improve prediction accuracy. The MME's unique design, which runs multiple models simultaneously, offers an average prediction that is more accurate than any single model. This advancement will initially be optimized for mid-west row crops, with plans to expand its application to other regional cropping systems over time. The MME's ability to perform effectively across large-scale landscapes allows for accurately measuring the impact of practice changes.
Through this partnership, TSIP will offer participating EarthOptics customers access to its cutting-edge modeling and automated reporting tools. By leveraging EarthOptics' innovative soil sensing technology, which collects high-resolution physical, chemical, and biological soil data, the collaboration aims to empower agricultural stakeholders with data-driven insights for enhanced productivity and sustainable practices.
"TSIP's collaboration with EarthOptics marks a significant step forward in our non-profit science-led mission to support regenerative agriculture," said Kris Covey, President and Co-Founder of TSIP. "By combining the scale of EarthOptics' advanced soil data collection capabilities with our robust data modeling and regional baselining approach, we are building a comprehensive platform that will fundamentally improve the accuracy and scalability of soil carbon storage and GHG impact assessment."
EarthOptics CEO Lars Dyrud added, "Partnering with TSIP aligns perfectly with our goal to deliver actionable soil insights to the farming and ranch community. Together, we will provide farmers and ranchers the tools to make informed decisions that enhance productivity while advancing climate-smart practices."
TSIP's upcoming National Soil Data Repository will provide free public access to a suite of digital products, including automated sampling design and collection applications, a universal data uploader, a Scenario Engine powered by the MME, and an automated Data Insights reporting platform. Users can dynamically explore agricultural practice scenarios compared to similar peers, akin to a "smart thermostat” for farming.
With EarthOptics' AI-driven data collection and ground-truthing of soil samples, this collaboration will enable the agricultural sector to optimize crop planning, reduce input costs, and mitigate climate impacts by lowering carbon intensity. Together, TSIP and EarthOptics are poised to revolutionize the future of sustainable agricultural practices.
For more information about TSIP, EarthOptics, and their ongoing efforts to advance sustainable agriculture, please visit www.thesoilinventoryproject.org/ or www.earthoptics.com
About The Soil Inventory Project (TSIP)
The Soil Inventory Project (TSIP) is a science-driven non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, storing, and modeling agroecological data to support regenerative agriculture and address critical environmental challenges. Founded by Dr. Kristofer Covey and Dr. Bruno Basso, TSIP aims to build and maintain large datasets crucial for the success of climate-smart agriculture. TSIP has developed innovative soil sampling technologies, a mobile application for field data collection, and is releasing a state-of-the-art Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) for accurate predictions of soil carbon changes, crop yields, and ecosystem services (i.e., water and GHG dynamics). TSIP provides unbiased, scientifically rigorous data and analysis to inform decision-making across the agricultural sector, from individual farmers to large corporations and policymakers.
About EarthOptics
EarthOptics is an ag technology company specializing in advanced soil sensing and predictive analytics. Its proprietary technology provides high-resolution soil data and actionable insights and recommendations, enabling farmers, ranchers, and carbon-focused organizations to improve productivity and implement climate-smart agricultural practices.
Media Contact:
Kristofer Covey
Cofounder & President
The Soil Inventory Project
518-321-3706
Natalie McCracken
Director of Marketing
EarthOptics
