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

September 11, 2026

CPDA Welcomes New Member Compliance Services International

CPDA is pleased to welcome Compliance Services International (CSI) as its newest 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.

CSI provides regulatory, environmental, and scientific consulting services to help companies navigate complex U.S. and international regulatory requirements with practical, science-based solutions.

The company’s consultants support product stewardship, regulatory strategy and compliance, product registration, environmental risk assessment, and Endangered Species Act compliance for the crop protection, crop nutrition, adjuvant, and inert ingredient industries.



CSI’s expertise will be a valuable addition to CPDA’s membership as members continue working to bring products to market, maintain compliance, and support the tools farmers rely on.

CPDA Supports Wilbur-Ellis Advocacy on Capitol Hill

CPDA was pleased to support member company Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness as 26 participants in its LEAD program traveled to Washington, D.C., for more than 30 meetings with Members of Congress and congressional staff.

As part of the visit, CPDA helped schedule meetings with the offices of Senator John Cornyn, Senator John Thune, Senator Ted Cruz, and Congressman John Carter.

CPDA President and CEO Terry Kippley joined Wilbur-Ellis team members Matt Richter, Joe Schafer, Shelby Lund, and Cody Hasty on Capitol Hill to discuss priorities important to the crop protection industry.

The group urged Congress to fully fund EPA’s pesticide registration activities and support timely approval of PRIA VI. A predictable and efficient registration process is essential to maintaining access to crop protection tools, supporting domestic manufacturing, and bringing new and improved products to market.



The group also discussed continued Farm Bill support for Centers of Excellence focused on crop production, crop protection, and resilience, including support for adjuvant research.



CPDA appreciates Wilbur-Ellis’ leadership and engagement in bringing member perspectives directly to policymakers.

Cody Hasty, Wilbur-Ellis; Terry Kippley, CPDA; Joe Schafer, Matt Richter, Shelby Lund, Wilbur-Ellis

Congressman John Carter (R-TX), legislative aide Jack Silbert and Wilbur-Ellis team.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) office with Wilbur-Ellis team.

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), legislative aide Tia O'Malley and Wilbur-Ellis team.

CPDA Provides Additional Clarification to EPA on Draft Fungicide Strategy Comments

CPDA’s ESA Technical Committee has provided EPA with additional clarification related to CPDA’s comments on the Draft Fungicide Strategy.

EPA requested additional detail to better understand figures and comments included in CPDA’s submission. With input from member companies, the Committee clarified the source data and explained how CPDA reached its conclusions.

No new data were submitted. The response aggregated and clarified information previously provided to EPA.

CPDA also provided active ingredient concentrations for many guar drift reduction adjuvants and select polymer drift reduction adjuvants included in previous data sets, as requested by EPA for its review process.

No further action is pending at this time regarding CPDA’s Draft Fungicide Strategy comments. CPDA will continue working with EPA and members to support practical, science-based ESA mitigation options for growers, applicators, and the crop protection industry.

CPDA Engages with DPR on Future Adjuvant Regulation

CPDA recently engaged with California Department of Pesticide Regulation staff on potential changes to the state’s regulation of adjuvants.

The discussion provided important insight into DPR’s developing approach to data requirements and the potential implications for adjuvant registrants.

Key takeaways included:

Broader regulatory update planned

DPR intends to update California regulations to clarify data requirements across pesticide product types while avoiding overly prescriptive requirements.

Adjuvants will require a different approach

DPR acknowledged that adjuvants and other California-specific product types present unique considerations because EPA does not have corresponding adjuvant data requirements that DPR can use as a baseline.

Rulemaking will precede field-trial Notices

DPR confirmed that the regulatory update will move forward before it reinitiates California Notices related to field trials. Timing remains uncertain, with DPR tentatively targeting a draft rulemaking package by year-end while cautioning that release could slip into next year.

Expanded data requirements are possible

Amid increased stakeholder scrutiny of DPR’s adjuvant review process, DPR may consider additional requirements in areas such as ecotoxicology and environmental fate.



“Biodegradable” claims are drawing attention

DPR is beginning to see these claims on adjuvants and is seeking to better understand their purpose, the industry-standard data used to support them, and appropriate substantiation expectations.

CPDA will provide additional context on these developments and discuss potential implications for members during the State Affairs meeting on Thursday, September 24, at 2:00 p.m.

Biopesticides: Building the Next Growth Frontier

CPDA recently joined Luther Smith, Executive Director of the American Society of Agronomy, and Julie McClure, Ph.D., of Torrey Advisory Group for a timely discussion on what it will take to grow the biopesticide market.

The opportunity is significant. CPDA member company Stratovation Group’s 2026 Row Crop Biologicals Study found that biopesticide use increased 9 percentage points from 2024, a nearly 70 percent increase. Biopesticides are emerging as a new growth frontier for agriculture.

One message from the discussion was clear: chemistry is not biology.

Continued growth will depend on two critical areas: performance and education. Biopesticide products must perform consistently under real-world field conditions, including when used alongside traditional crop protection chemistry. At the same time, the people recommending, handling, and applying these products need a better understanding of how biological products differ from conventional chemistry.

CPDA’s Biopesticide Working Group is focused on both challenges. A performance-based certification program could help build confidence in products that demonstrate consistent performance. Education connected to the Certified Crop Adviser program and continuing education credits could also help bring practical biological knowledge directly to the field.

This work is about building the confidence, knowledge, and infrastructure needed for the biopesticide market to reach its potential.



Join CPDA at the Annual Meeting in Dallas, September 28-30, to learn more about this work and where the industry is headed.

Julie McClure, PhD, Torrey Advisory Group; Luther Smith, Executive Director, American Society of Agronomy; Terry Kippley, CPDA

From Discovery to Delivery: Biocontrol Summit 2026

CPDA President and CEO Terry Kippley will help chair the second day of Biocontrol Summit 2026, taking place November 30-December 2 in Sacramento, California.

Ahead of the summit, Kippley shared his perspective on what it will take to bridge the gap between biocontrol innovation and successful market adoption.

His comments focused on several issues important to CPDA members and the biologicals sector, including product performance, grower confidence, market education, and the need to better connect research, regulation, commercialization, and field-level adoption.



The discussion also reinforces CPDA’s growing work on biopesticides and the role of formulation expertise, regulatory predictability, and practical education in supporting broader adoption.

The Active Ingredient Series

CPDA’s The Active Ingredient video series spotlights the people and ideas shaping the future of our industry.

In this episode, Aaron Locker, Managing Director at Kincannon & Reed, draws on 35 years of crop protection experience to share three ways companies can build, develop and attract the talent they’ll need to thrive.

CPDA's 2026 Annual Meeting is Almost Here

Three Conferences. One Shared Commitment to Agriculture.

This year, the CPDA Annual Meeting is proud to be co-located with CropLife America and The Fertilizer Institute, bringing together leaders from across the crop nutrient and crop protection industries. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to expand their networks and gain broader industry insights through shared experiences, including the joint Welcome Reception on Monday evening and the joint Tuesday Morning General Session. 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.

Join the executives, policymakers, technical experts, and industry leaders who are driving those decisions at the CPDA 2026 Annual Meeting.

PLUS...

Trade the Boardroom for Sidelines: Suits by Day, Jerseys by Night

Join us for a football-themed Welcome Reception at the Sculpture Park on Monday, September 28th from 5:00-6:30 pm, hosted in partnership with TFI and CLA. This year's reception brings a football-themed celebration complete with lawn games, a signature cocktail, and plenty of team spirit. Wear your favorite team's jersey or any sports attire to join the fun!

Upcoming Industry Events

News & Notes is prepared for CPDA with editorial support from Andrew Walmsley, Senior Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs at Atticus.