USDA Report to Congress
Biostimulant Industry & Agency Timeline
2013 -
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2015
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
US Biostimulant Coalition works with AAPFCO to define biostimulants. AAPFCO does not define biostimulants.
USBC turns attention to EPA. Meets to discuss how products are not plant regulators in traditional sense and
requests regulatory clarity.
USBC suggests EPA define "nutritional chemicals" - a category along with plant inoculants, soil amendments,
nutrients and trace minerals currently excluded from FIFRA
USBC/ BPIA collaborate and meet with EPA on how biostimulants are distinct from pesticides/ plant regulators.
USBC gives EPA several documents clarifying excluded category claims and describes nutritional chemicals
EPA clarifies guidance will cover claims but needs more time to define nutritional chemicals
Guidance document expected to publish in 2017 but Trump is elected, all regulatory actions require further review.
BPIA and USBC meet with USDA to discuss potential options for APHIS to regulate biostimulants
USBC and BPIA members agree on language for 2018 Farm Bill defining biostimulants and requesting establishment
of a study to develop regulatory framework for biostimulants
House and Senate Ag Committees support biostimulant language in Farm Bill. December: Farm Bill signed into law
EPA confirms guidance document is unlikely to be published in 2018 and does not have bandwidth for additional
effort on defining nutritional chemicals and biostimulants
USDA agrees to coordinate a multi-stakeholder workgroup to develop report.
March: EPA publishes draft guidance. Biostimulant industry submits comments in July.
USDA convenes stakeholder meetings and accepts stakeholder input in June of 2019. Uses that import to develop
report. Report finalized Dec 2019.View entire presentation