New Pathways

CoverCress, Inc. is a pioneering agricultural technology company focused on the commercialization of domesticated pennycress, an crop that provides winter cover while producing both sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and feedstock, delivering profound economic and environmental benefits to conventional agricultural zones.  

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Hjelle Consulting Group (HCG) is a leading agricultural technology (AgTech) regulatory and product development consultancy. 

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The Importance of Pennycress for Farmers  

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The word “game-changer” is thrown around too often, but with the domestication and wide-scale pennycress, the description is appropriate. Farmland that rotates between corn and soybean production has traditionally remained unused during winter months, impacting the farmer ecologically (erosion) and financially (underutilized equipment). Enter field pennycress, the first new row crop since camelina and the flagship innovation of CoverCress, which benefits farmers in several ways: 

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• Third Crop Opportunity: By growing pennycress each winter between corn and soybean crops, farmers gain an additional (third) harvest in each two year rotation cycle. increasing revenue potential. 

• Soil Health Improvement: Functioning as a winter cover crop, pennycress works like other cover crops to hold nitrogen from the prior crop, feed microbes, all aimed to support soil health. 

• Low-Carbon Biodiesel Source: Pennycress is an essential feedstock for renewable biofuels, supporting global sustainability efforts and reducing carbon emissions. 

Back in 2016, CoverCress was amongst the first to understand the potential value of pennycress, but needed to find a regulatory and product design consultancy with both the expertise and creativity to fashion and execute a novel crop regulatory strategy. 

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Why CoverCress Chose HCG

At the time, Hjelle Consulting Group (then Hjelle Advisors) was a two-man shop – a recently-retired former Monsanto regulatory executive (Dr. Jerry Hjelle) and his son and former Monsanto IP analyst (Ben Hjelle). HCG had the connections to source a variety of contacts to fit a consulting project around the needs of CoverCress – the foundation of a strong partnership that continues to this day.  

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HCG brought to CoverCress a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and a strong track record of integrating regulatory into R&D. At this stage in its development, CoverCress concentrated on breeding and gene editing to achieve a standardized, consistent pennycress plant, which would need to eventually seek the approvals of USDA, FDA and EPA.  

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From this point onwards, HCG played a critical role in 

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• Research & Development Enhancement: HCG’s technical experts helped CoverCress fill knowledge and capacity gaps to refine the genetic traits of pennycress, ensuring that both the biodiesel and animal feed components had a clear “theory of approvability” and that R & D was conducted with regulatory considerations in mind. 

• Market Positioning & Risk Mitigation: The presence of a widely-respected regulatory expert like Dr. Jerry Hjelle bolstered investor confidence in both the fundamental product and forecasted time to market. 

• Regulatory Approval Acceleration: CoverCress leveraged Dr. Hjelle’s expertise to conduct necessary studies, secure needed USDA approvals for planting, and assemble a qualified Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) panel to support use of in poultry feed, and pathways for the changes in crop protection product labels used by farmers in the corn-soybean crop rotation.  

HCG’s involvement proved invaluable, transforming pennycress from an experimental crop into an option for farmers. The ability to navigate federal regulations, implement effective testing protocols, and improve the genetic viability of pennycress solidified CoverCress’s position in the industry. 

The Impact of HCG’s Versatility  

Hjelle Consulting Group’s expertise extended beyond regulatory approval; HCG was a true innovation partner for CoverCress.

HCG experts worked side-by-side with CoverCress to leverage strong relationships with regulators and build a research and development platform to streamline the product pipeline. HCG’s deep understanding of regulatory requirements for safety and testing ensured a smooth and efficient review and approval process. 

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Additionally, HCG’s extensive scientific expertise allowed them to collaborate closely with breeders, influencing the genomics of pennycress to enhance its potential as a commercial crop. This hands-on, tailored approach sets HCG apart, demonstrating their versatility and commitment to providing comprehensive support across the industry, and helped enable CoverCress’s acquisition by three of the industry’s most renowned players in Bayer, Bunge and Chevron and in 2022.

Their collaboration continues today.