Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Agronomy director urges Congress to adopt Plant Biostimulant Act for regulatory clarity
Loading...
Summary
Nutrien told lawmakers that plant biostimulants lack a consistent federal definition, producing a patchwork of state rules that weakens labeling integrity and slows farmer access; the company urged support for the Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025.
Industry agronomists urged Congress to give plant biostimulants a clear federal definition to avoid misclassification and inconsistent state regulation that can delay product availability and confuse growers.
Lede: "There is currently no federal definition for plant biostimulants, leaving a state patchwork of regulations leading to inconsistent labeling and marketing claims," Dr. Carl Wyant, director of agronomy at Nutrien, told the House Agriculture Committee.
Nut graf: Witnesses described biostimulants as diverse inputs 'humic acids, seaweed extracts, beneficial microbes and protein hydrolysates 'that work differently than fertilizers or pesticides and that can improve stress tolerance, nutrient uptake and soil health. Without federal clarity, some products risk being regulated as pesticides under FIFRA, slowing farmer access and market development.
Details: Dr. Wyant cited a Nutrien study in drought-prone California in which a nutrient-activated carbon platform improved wine-grape yields by 13 percent in a controlled plot by stimulating soil microbial activity and root growth. He described how misclassification delays innovation and urged support for the bipartisan Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025, which he said would align the United States with EU and Canadian standards and prevent inappropriate FIFRA treatment.
Policy points: The Plant Biostimulant Act would create a federal, science-based definition, reduce state-by-state inconsistency, and clarify that biostimulants are a distinct input category from pesticides. Supporters said this would speed labeling clarity, protect growers from misleading claims, and maintain competitiveness with international markets.
Ending: Committee members and witnesses agreed that better definitions could smooth regulatory pathways and improve market integrity; some members asked for written legislative language and requested follow-up on harmonizing federal-state processes for input categories.
