AFSI’s biologicals work builds directly on more than two decades supporting the science-based regulation of agricultural biotechnology, including the South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP) and sustained engagement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The biologicals program applies that same convening, evidence-based approach to biological products, which resist tidy regulatory categories and increasingly call for proportionate, fit-for-purpose oversight.

To advance this work, Dr. Sarah Richards joined AFSI in June 2026 as Scientific Program Manager. She is responsible for building out AFSI’s scientific program on the regulation of microbial products for agriculture, with an emphasis on microbial biopesticides, biofertilizers, and biostimulants. She now serves as the institute’s primary point of contact for biologicals and welcomes inquiries from those working on biological products.

Dr. Richards holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and a dual-title degree in International Agriculture and Development from The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), where her research examined how functional soil microbiomes can be managed, through beneficial inoculants and strategic cover cropping, to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. Her doctoral work included field studies in Pennsylvania and Costa Rica. Before joining AFSI, she worked in both academic and industry research on agricultural microbial products.

Dr. Richards brings working knowledge of both the science behind microbial products and the regulatory questions they raise: “The science and the regulation of microbial products for agriculture are often waiting on each other. I am driven by the opportunity to build capacity between them to support the safe and ethical delivery of these technologies for public benefit.”