Covercress
CoverCress is a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company that develops a proprietary winter oilseed crop grown between corn and soybean rotations, serving Midwest farmers with grain off-take into renewable biofuels and animal feed through partnerships with Bunge, Bayer, and Chevron.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Covercress does
CoverCress Inc. is a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company that has developed a proprietary winter oilseed crop marketed as CoverCress, designed to be planted in mid-September to mid-October after corn or soybean harvest and harvested in late May, producing a third cash crop within a two-year corn-soybean rotation. The company serves Midwest row-crop farmers through its Farm Adoption Program, which provides no-cost trial seed (valued up to $2,500 or $25 per acre) in Year 1 and converts participants into contracted grain producers in Year 2. Grain is crushed into oil for renewable biofuels and supplied whole-grain to animal feed pellet manufacturers.
The technology stack consists of proprietary CoverCress seed varieties bred for Midwest winter hardiness and oilseed yield, supported by research collaborations with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, University of Illinois, and Western Illinois University. Deployment options include traditional broadcast seeding with tillage and drone-based seeding into standing crops at early maturity, and harvest uses standard corn/soybean combines adjusted to canola settings. The company has stated yields of 1,250–1,500 lbs/acre under proper conditions and farmer earnings potential exceeding $170/acre in Year 2.
CoverCress monetizes through grain offtake agreements secured with end-use customers and channeled via a multi-tier partner ecosystem: CCI-authorized agents recruit and support farmers, dedicated grain handlers collect, condition, and store the harvest, and end customers process the grain into biofuels and feed. The company has raised approximately $47.9 million across six funding rounds between 2015 and 2022 from investors including Bunge Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, Chevron, Prelude Ventures, Prolog Ventures, Fulcrum Global Capital, and BioGenerator, with a commercial deal with Bunge signed in April 2022 marking entry into commercial-scale operations. Headcount is 11–50 employees, and the company is led by CEO Jim Hedges following the March 2025 retirement of Mike DeCamp.
Covercress firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Covercress
- Legal name
- CoverCress Inc.
- Website
- https://covercress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CoverCress is a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company that develops a proprietary winter oilseed crop grown between corn and soybean rotations, serving Midwest farmers with grain off-take into renewable biofuels and animal feed through partnerships with Bunge, Bayer, and Chevron.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Covercress industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Biotechnology
- NAICS
- Oilseed (except Soybean) Farming (111120), Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming (111191)
- SIC
- Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Other Oilseed Farming (Flaxseed/Linseed, Safflower, Sesame, Mustard, Camelina, etc.) (AFAGABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cover Crop & Green Manure Seeds (AFABAFAH), Cover Crop Seed & Green Manure Inputs (AFABAKAH), Mixed Oilseed & Pulse Farming (Multi-crop rotations/combined operations) (AFAGABAJ)
Keywords
Where Covercress is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Covercress business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CoverCress Grain Sales: CoverCress generates revenue through the sale of CoverCress grain produced by farmers. The grain is crushed into oil for biofuels and used as an energy-dense ingredient in animal feed pellets. CCI secures contracts with end-use customers and purchases grain from farmers through offtake agreements.
- Seed and Agronomic Services: During the first year of the Farm Adoption Program, seed is provided at no cost to farmers (value up to $2,500 or $25 per acre). Farmers enter into contractual agreements with CCI for grain production in subsequent years.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Farm Adoption Program - Year 1 (Demo) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Annual | Grain Production Contract |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Covercress product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CoverCress Inc. develops and produces a proprietary winter-hardy oilseed crop (CoverCress) that grows between corn and soybean rotations and is harvested in late May. The harvested grain is sold to enterprise end-users for renewable biofuel oil crushing and as an energy-dense ingredient in animal feed pellets. Farmers grow the crop under multi-year contracts secured through a Farm Adoption Program that provides free seed, agronomic guidance, guaranteed offtake, and direct grain pickup.
Product overview
CoverCress Inc. (CCI) offers a single unified agricultural product: the CoverCress winter oilseed crop designed for renewable biofuels. This crop is brought to farmers through the Farm Adoption Program, which provides no-cost trial seed, agronomic training, and support services. The system is complemented by a partner ecosystem that handles grain logistics and offtake agreements with end-use customers in biofuels and animal feed markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CoverCress Winter Oilseed Crop
- Farm Adoption Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Potential earnings exceeding $170 per acre starting in Year 2
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Covercress
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Covercress technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Covercress partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- BungecoreCoverCress signed a commercial deal with Bunge in April 2022. Bunge is a major agribusiness company that processes and trades agricultural commodities. The partnership provides a reliable end market for CoverCress grain, with Bunge handling grain processing and distribution to end-use customers.
- BayercoreBayer is referenced as a major industry partner in CoverCress's market ecosystem. The partnership contributes to the strong market support for CoverCress grain, providing farmers with a secure outlet for their harvest alongside Bunge and Chevron.
- ChevroncoreChevron is referenced as a major industry partner providing market support for CoverCress grain. As an energy company, Chevron utilizes CoverCress oil for biofuel production, contributing to renewable energy efforts.
- Grain HandlersmajorGrain handler partners collect grain directly from farmer fields, condition and store CoverCress grain, and deliver to end-use customers. They ensure reliable logistics and grain quality management throughout the supply chain.
- Western Illinois UniversityminorAcademic partnership for research and development collaboration in agricultural innovation.
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterminorResearch partnership with leading plant science research institution for crop development and improvement.
- University of IllinoisminorAcademic partnership for agricultural research and development collaboration.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Covercress competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Covercress social profiles
Digital presenceCovercress financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Covercress leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Covercress funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Covercress M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Covercress
What does Covercress do?
CoverCress Inc. develops and produces a proprietary winter-hardy oilseed crop (CoverCress) that grows between corn and soybean rotations and is harvested in late May. The harvested grain is sold to enterprise end-users for renewable biofuel oil crushing and as an energy-dense ingredient in animal feed pellets. Farmers grow the crop under multi-year contracts secured through a Farm Adoption Program that provides free seed, agronomic guidance, guaranteed offtake, and direct grain pickup.
Is Covercress a public or private company?
Covercress is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Covercress founded?
Covercress was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Covercress based?
Covercress is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Covercress make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CoverCress Grain Sales are the primary driver. The others are seed and Agronomic Services.
Does Covercress have an API?
No public API is recorded for Covercress.
What industry is Covercress in?
Covercress's product category is Agricultural Biotechnology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAGABAI, Other Oilseed Farming (Flaxseed/Linseed, Safflower, Sesame, Mustard, Camelina, etc.), with a secondary code of AFABAFAH, Cover Crop & Green Manure Seeds. Its NAICS code is 111120 and its SIC code is 100.