Conference on Understanding the Impacts and Needs in Biologicals Regulation

AFSI Newsletter - January 2025

The Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI) is convening a conference on January 23, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Crystal City-Washington, D.C., to provide a forum for discussing the impacts and needs in biologicals regulation. Bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders engaged in the utilization and regulation of biologicals in agriculture, this activity was preceded by an online session at the Dupont Summit on Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy. The event is supported by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA award no. 2024-67023-42836) and aims to facilitate an exchange of ideas between researchers, product developers, and regulators, paving the way for future regulatory developments.

Charting the Landscape

The conference’s first session will focus on better comprehending the emerging biologicals landscape through an examination of recent research and product development. Rick Melnick from DunhamTrimmer will set the stage with a keynote, followed by case examples from industry experts, including BioLiNE’s EVP Mohammad Rahbari, Temporal Agriculture’s CEO and Founder, Dr. Chuck Frazier, and 3BarBio’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Jane Fife.

Exploring the Potential

The second session will be dedicated to exploring the potential of biological innovations. In recent years, the sector has seen an explosion of product start-ups, mergers, and investment from big agricultural companies, propelling many advances. Scientific experts from the University of California, Davis, Jord BioScience, Western Growers, and Washington State University will deliver presentations on how biologicals can address climate change challenges, demonstrate and improve efficacy, and contribute to soil health.

Discussing Regulatory Design

Biologicals pose a unique challenge to protocol development and regulatory pathways as their variety and nature can result in overlapping functions. The concluding session will start with an overview of the current status and future outlook for the regulation of biological products, followed by a facilitated panel discussion on how fit-for-purpose regulation of biologicals might be achieved. The session features speakers and panelists from Stone Biological Solutions, AgroSpheres, Western Growers, and USDA APHIS.

Join fellow researchers, product developers, and regulators for an event focused on generating insights on biologicals, addressing potential regulatory impacts, and preparing for future developments. By convening stakeholders in one place and creating a forum for exchanging ideas, the organizers hope to generate a report summarizing identified options and opportunities in collaboration with interested speakers and attendees. This analysis of the conference’s outcomes will culminate in practical recommendations for future actions by researchers, developers, and regulators that will help facilitate a transparent, scientifically sound, and effective regulatory environment for the use of biologicals in agriculture.

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