The potential for more sustainable agriculture through biologicals is being held back by outdated regulation, according to a recent report.
What are agricultural biologicals? Products developed from natural sources—like biopesticides, biofertilizers, and biostimulants—providing sustainable crop management solutions that support regenerative farming.
What the people want: Consumers, producers, and regulators like the promise of increased production with limited chemical inputs offered by biologicals. But outdated regulation obstructs biologicals from gaining market traction, says a March report.
Case in point: A partnership between John Deere and BIO member Corteva utilizes precision spraying technologies that allow biologicals to be used where they’re needed while reducing overall applications (and cost). Regulators should support this kind of innovation, the report says.
We should also reduce barriers for biostimulants,substances or microorganisms applied to seeds, plants, or soil to enhance nutrient uptake and efficiency, drought tolerance, or crop quality. BIO supports passage of the Plant Biostimulant Act, including via the next Farm Bill.
BIO’s view: “We’ve got to make sure that biostimulants are not subjected to unnecessary and unhelpful bureaucracy and regulation that makes it harder to get new products into the marketplace,” says John Torres, BIO Director of Federal Government Relations for Agriculture & Environment.
More Agriculture & Environment News:
The New York Times: Person infected with bird flu in Texas after contact with cattle
“At least one person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu after having contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected, state officials said on Monday.”
The Hill (Opinion): How misinformation is making us fear our food
“To be clear: Glyphosate, like all things, can be harmful at a certain dose — but not at the levels at which we are exposed through produce consumption, and not even at occupational doses that farm workers are regularly exposed to,” explains public health data scientist Dr. Jessica Steier. “It’s a shame that rather than appreciating the science that has allowed us to have a robust and safe food supply, there are people who profit off of its weaponization.”
