Sterling, Colorado, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The NSF ASCEND Engine, led by Innosphere in collaboration with the Logan County Economic Development Corporation, convened members of the agricultural production community for a visit to the National Ecological Observatory Network’s (NEON) North Sterling field site and facilitated a workshop aimed at identifying key agricultural challenges and opportunities in northeastern Colorado.
NEON Site Visit Highlights
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental-scale program that provides open-access ecological data from 81 field sites across the United States. One of these sites—the North Sterling NEON / STER site, located just outside Sterling, Colorado—was selected to represent agricultural land and practices representative of those in the region.
Dr. Mike SanClements, Research Initiatives Lead at NEON, hosted local agricultural producers and the Engine team at the Sterling field site to introduce them to NEON’s advanced sensing instrumentation and open data products, which are soon to be transformed through a recently launched collaboration. The NSF ASCEND Engine funded a project led by SanClements that brings together NEON, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and NVIDIA which will establish a first-of-its-kind ecosystem-scale digital twin, starting with NEON’s Sterling site. In addition to significantly advancing the fundamental science behind digital twinning technologies, the project supports critical real-world challenges in the Ag sector.
“By creating high-fidelity digital twins of local ecosystems, we can offer agricultural producers more accurate forecasting tools,” said SanClements, noting that producers wrestle with complex tradeoffs in allocating scarce resources with thin operating margins, often in drought conditions. He also emphasized that NEON sites are open for use by researchers and precision agriculture startups seeking to validate and enhance their technologies.
Workshop Connects Producers and Researchers
Held at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, the workshop was organized by the Logan County Economic Development Office and facilitated by NSF ASCEND Engine staff. Agricultural producers shared insights into the sensing tools they currently use, how their practices have evolved over the past decade, and their concerns for the future.
Water availability emerged as a top concern. Producers noted that existing weather and ecological data lacked the granularity needed for informed decision-making and was often accessible only through complex, user-unfriendly platforms. Participants expressed a clear need for an intuitive, data-rich platform offering precise and frequent updates to support adaptive, dynamic management practices.
“This is a huge opportunity for Logan County,” said Trae Miller, Executive Director of the Logan County Economic Development Corporation. “As a major agricultural producer, we’re excited to collaborate with partners advancing technologies in testing, data analytics, and innovation—efforts that can drive business growth, create jobs, and enhance the economic impact of our ag producers.”
About the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
The Boulder-based National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a major facility funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by Battelle. NEON provides open access ecological data collected from 81 field sites across the United States, which enable users to understand and investigate environmental change on regional and continental scales. As a continental Observatory, NEON supports a large and diverse group of organizations and individuals. All NEON data and information products are freely and openly available to scientists, educators, students, decision makers, and the public.
About the Logan County Economic Development Corporation
The Logan County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC) operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, engaging in close collaboration with both the City of Sterling and Logan County. Together, they drive forward economic development initiatives encompassing business recruitment, retention, expansion, and critical infrastructure projects. Acting as a pivotal bridge, the LCEDC facilitates interaction between the State of Colorado and various business endeavors, providing invaluable support in terms of incentives and essential requirements.
For more information about the Logan County Economic Development Corporation, visit www.sterling-logan.com.
About the NSF ASCEND Engine:
Led by Innosphere and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), with support from the State of Colorado and the State of Wyoming, the NSF ASCEND Engine is a collaborative initiative focused on driving innovation in environmental sensing and analytics across the Colorado-Wyoming region. The NSF ASCEND Engine brings together a diverse network of partners to develop and commercialize technologies that address critical resilience challenges, foster economic growth and enhance community well-being.
Visit www.co-wyengine.org for more information.
- Dr. Mike SanClements, Research Initiatives Lead at NEON, hosted local agricultural producers and the Engine team at the Sterling field site.