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New legislation would help keep the U.S. a global leader in crop innovation

The vice president of government affairs at The Fertilizer Institute says recently introduced legislation would help keep the U.S. a global leader in crop innovation. 

Ed Thomas says the Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025 would provide label consistency for crop protection products.

“It gives us a federal definition of what a plant biostimulant is, so that the USDA, the EPA, and others can be in alignment with what the states have adopted,” he says. “Plant biostimulants are just natural products that enhance a plant’s natural ability to respond to adverse conditions.”

He tells Brownfield the legislation will help bolster U.S. ag innovations. 

“Brazil and Europe are far out in front of us on these types of products and we want to be in front of them,” he says. “This particular piece of legislation would make sure that these products are available to growers at a reasonable price and in a reasonable timeframe.”

The bipartisan bicameral legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Jimmy Panetta of California and Jim Baird of Indiana and Senators Roger Marshall of Kansas and Alex Padilla in the U.S. Senate.

AUDIO: Ed Thomas, The Fertilizer Institute