Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology
The Business Council for Agrotechnology

July 17, 2026

CPDA Welcomes New Member BioWorks

CPDA is pleased to welcome BioWorks as its newest biopesticide member.



As the Business Council for Agrotechnology, CPDA’s member support drives advocacy on key issues impacting the crop protection value chain, including reducing EPA’s PRIA and non-PRIA registration backlogs, advancing science-based Endangered Species Act solutions, and supporting practical policies that help bring effective tools to growers.

Backed by more than 30 years of biological crop protection expertise, BioWorks provides commercial growers with biopesticides and sustainable plant health solutions for disease and insect control.

CPDA Sponsors Ag250 Celebration at Mount Vernon

CPDA was proud to sponsor this week’s Ag250 celebration at Mount Vernon, bringing together leaders from across agriculture, Congress, and the Administration to recognize 250 years of American agriculture.

Held at the home of America’s first President and founding farmer, George Washington, the event was a meaningful opportunity to celebrate agriculture’s role in building, sustaining, and strengthening the nation.

CPDA appreciated the opportunity to join Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, members of Congress, and partners from across the agricultural community for an evening focused on the past, present, and future of American agriculture.

As CPDA looks ahead to the next 250 years, the association remains committed to supporting the crop protection tools, technologies, and policies farmers need to remain productive, competitive, and resilient.

A special thank you to Alex Dunn, President and CEO and the team at Croplife America for bringing more than 630 members of the agriculture community together.

Terry Kippley, CPDA CEO; Terry and Cathi Abbott, AU Solutions, Past CPDA Chairman; Patrick and Medley Ewan, Helena, Current CPDA Chairman; Greg and Barbara Lindner, Croda, Incoming CPDA Chairman; Jonathan Selby and Rosita Torres, Innospec, CPDA Secretary; Andrew Walsmley and Madeline Wright, CPDA VP Government Relations.

Photo Credit: Kalorama Studios

Secretary of USDA, Brooke Rollins

Photo Credit: Kalorama Studios

Congressman “GT” Thompson, Chairman of House Ag Committee, and Senator John Boozman, Chair of the Senate Ag Committee

Photo Credit: Kalorama Studios

CPDA Submits Comments on EPA Draft Fungicide Strategy

CPDA submitted comments to EPA on the Agency’s Draft Fungicide Strategy, continuing the association’s engagement on practical, science-based ESA mitigation options to offer alternatives to “no-spray buffer zones".

CPDA supports EPA’s effort to develop a more transparent, predictable, and workable ESA framework for conventional agricultural fungicides. CPDA also appreciates EPA’s proposal to expand the availability of oil emulsion DRAs and add guar gum DRAs as spray drift mitigation options across fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides.

In its comments, CPDA recommends several improvements to strengthen the final strategy and make implementation more workable for growers, applicators, registrants, and adjuvant manufacturers. Key recommendations include:

• Revising EPA’s proposed guar DRA language to specify a minimum guar solids concentration in the final tank mixture, rather than using GPA-differentiated formulated use-rate language.
• Recognizing polymer and polyacrylamide DRAs as an established class of drift mitigation tools, including for ground and aerial application scenarios where supported by data.
• Providing a clear pathway for shear-resistant polymer DRAs to qualify for mitigation credit through a consensus ASTM standard and appropriate product label communication.
• Correcting and harmonizing oil emulsion DRA minimum-rate language across the Fungicide Strategy, Ecological Mitigation Support Document, Mitigation Menu, and pesticide labeling.
• Recognizing the environmental and agronomic benefits of professional seed treatment and seed-coating technologies when evaluating potential exposure from treated seeds.
• Maintaining a flexible, transparent, and updateable implementation framework as mitigation tools, data, and field practices evolve.



CPDA will continue working with EPA and member companies to support mitigation measures that protect the environment while preserving farmer access to essential crop protection tools.

CPDA Continues Engagement on Crop Protection Supply Chain and Trade Policy

CPDA continues to engage with policymakers on trade and supply-chain issues impacting the U.S. crop protection sector, including the need to protect domestic formulation, manufacturing capacity, and critical inputs such as inert ingredients.

CPDA has worked to ensure trade policy reflects the complexity of the crop protection supply chain. Technical active ingredients, intermediates, manufacturing-use products, inert ingredients, and finished formulations each raise different trade, economic security, and national security considerations. A one-size-fits-all tariff approach can unintentionally increase costs, discourage U.S. formulation, or weaken domestic production capacity.

CPDA’s engagement has included discussions with the White House National Security Council, coordination with CropLife America and the Agricultural Retailers Association, Section 301 comments to USTR, and recent comments related to China trade policy. Across these efforts, CPDA has emphasized the need for a balanced, product-specific approach that supports U.S. formulation and manufacturing, protects existing and planned domestic production, avoids unnecessary cost pressure where no commercially viable alternative supply exists, and preserves farmer access to competitive crop protection options.



Strengthening the crop protection supply chain is not only a matter of farmer access and affordability. It is also a food security, economic security, and national security priority.

CPDA in Washington

CPDA Engages with Agriculture Leaders in Washington

In addition to CPDA leaders being in Washington for Ag250, CPDA had the opportunity to connect with grower organizations and agricultural leaders in town for meetings and events throughout the week.

CPDA met with California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass to discuss issues impacting growers and the broader crop protection value chain.

Through CPDA PAC, CPDA also joined state Farm Bureaus from across the country in support of Representative Brad Finstad (R-MN). CPDA also appreciated the opportunity to join member company WinField United for an additional discussion with Representative Finstad and Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE).



These engagements help CPDA strengthen relationships across agriculture and ensure member priorities remain part of key policy conversations in Washington.

CPDA President and CEO Terry Kippley with California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass.

CPDA President and CEO Terry Kippley and Andrew Walmsley with Representative Brad Finstad (R-MN).

MyPeST Troubleshooting Resources Shared with CPDA Members

CPDA recently shared additional MyPeST troubleshooting guidance with its EPA working group to help members address commonly encountered issues in the new portal.

The guidance covers issues related to company-name mismatches between CDX and MyPeST, Login.gov email authentication, new distributor product submissions, and updated file-size limits. EPA has also increased the file size limit to 200 MB per file and now allows up to 200 documents per submission.



CPDA members with questions about MyPeST implementation should contact Terry Kippley.

The Active Ingredient Series

CPDA is launching The Active Ingredient, a new video series featuring industry perspectives from CPDA members and partners on the issues shaping agriculture, crop protection, and product development.

Agriculture is facing a structural shift, and the industry has a choice: wait for the market to force change or lead with strategy, innovation, and collaboration. In this conversation, Brett Sciotto, CEO & Founder of Idealyst Innovation, explores how CPDA and the broader agrifood value chain can help shape the future of American food power.

Register Today for CPDA's 2026 Annual Meeting

The future of crop protection will be shaped by the investment decisions made today, the partnerships built tomorrow, and the policies that enable innovation.



Join the executives, policymakers, technical experts, and industry leaders who are driving those decisions at the CPDA 2026 Annual Meeting. Co-located with CropLife America (CLA) and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), this unique event brings together more than 900 agriculture industry leaders from every link in the crop protection value chain—from global manufacturers and suppliers to formulators, distributors and growers.

Upcoming Industry Events

Until next time….