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

Terry Kippley, CPDA

February 2, 2026

The Importance of Crop Protection Tools

CPDA members develop and supply the technologies farmers rely on every season to protect crops, manage risk, and keep food affordable.

We appreciate House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson for clearly laying out what’s at stake in crop protection and continued leadership in defending those tools and the farmers who depend on them.

Farmers are producing more food with fewer inputs and less land because they have access to effective, science-based tools. Rolling those tools back doesn’t advance sustainability. It turns back progress and raises costs for farmers and families alike.

That reality was front and center during the House Agriculture Committee hearing Chairman Thompson led last summer, where Past-CPDA Chairman Terry Abbott testified on the importance of innovation, competition, and regulatory certainty in crop protection.

PRIA 6: CPDA Advances Priorities and Coalition Leadership

CPDA’s EPA Working Group has finalized CPDA’s priority items for PRIA 6 and is actively engaging in PRIA Coalition discussions as the legislative framework takes shape. Key focus areas include a 100 percent repack category, targeted process improvements, and dedicated funding for InertFinder and non-PRIA regulatory actions.

CPDA is also part of a PRIA Coalition sub-team examining potential updates to inert ingredient categories, with active participation from CPDA members and advisors. Member input is being incorporated to ensure proposed changes reflect real-world formulation and compliance needs.

What It Means for CPDA Members

Early and sustained engagement positions CPDA to influence PRIA 6 in ways that reduce delays, protect post-patent interests, and improve regulatory predictability.

CPDA Engagement with the White House on Supply Chain Resilience

CPDA met for a second time with the White House National Security Council to continue discussions on crop input supply chain resilience. Conversations focused on identifying vulnerabilities across manufacturing, logistics, and distribution and outlining practical policy responses.

A February session is planned to include CPDA member companies providing direct industry input. NSC staff also confirmed plans to participate in CPDA’s Fly-In this spring.

What It Means for CPDA Members

Elevates crop inputs as a national supply chain priority and creates a direct channel for members to inform policy solutions that reduce disruption risk.

ESA Implementation & Industry Outreach

CPDA will host a media meet-and-greet for ag editors and broadcasters during Commodity Classic focused on ESA implementation and its impact on grower practices, labeling, and future crop protection strategies. The session is designed to provide agricultural media with technical context and practical perspectives on mitigation tools, including drift reduction technologies.

Separately, CropLife Magazine recently highlighted the CPDA-led 2026 ESA Technical Guide as a practical resource for retailers navigating new mitigation requirements.

What It Means for CPDA Members

Supports practical ESA implementation and reinforces CPDA’s role as a trusted technical resource for retailers, growers, and policymakers.

InertFinder: White Paper Shared and EPA Engagement Scheduled

CPDA has completed and shared a white paper outlining deficiencies in EPA’s InertFinder system and proposing options for reconstruction and modernization. The paper emphasizes InertFinder’s role as a critical compliance and transparency tool and identifies opportunities for automation and improved system integration.

CPDA will meet with EPA in February to discuss the paper and potential next steps, including opportunities for EPA-industry collaboration.

CPDA at Far West Agribusiness Annual Meeting

Thank you to Ian Crawford with CPDA member Precision Laboratories for providing an overview of CPDA and our Adjuvant Certification program at the Far West Agribusiness Annual Meeting held on Wednesday, December 11, 2025.

Upcoming Webinar: Earn 1 IPM CEU Credit

Season 4 of our successful webinar series, in partnership with the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is back for another 5-part series discussing topics from biologicals and insecticides to tuning up your tank mix.

Thursday, February 12, 2026, 1:00 pm ET

ESA Technical Field Guide: How to Comply

This webinar discusses using adjuvants as tools to comply with ESA requirements. 

Certified Crop Advisers attending this webinar will earn one Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) program IPM CEU.

CPDA Members: Register for DC Fly-In

March 3–5, 2026

Hotel discount ends February 9th.

Your seat at the table to:

• PROTECT EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs Funding

• ADVOCATE for the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA 6) Modernization

• MEET directly with EPA Leadership on Registration Backlog Improvements 

Expand Markets & Protect Productive Acres

This is an important meeting for all CPDA member companies. 

We hope you can join us!

CPDA Member Opportunities

EPA Annual Production Reporting

EPA has reminded all active pesticide- and device-producing establishments that 2025 production reports are due March 1, 2026. Reports must be submitted individually through the Section Seven Tracking System.

EPA Advisory Committee Nominations

EPA is accepting nominations for the Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee through March 2, 2026, including self-nominations. Details and submission instructions are available here: https://www.epa.gov/faca/frrcc

Stay Informed with CPDA's Weekly Policy Update

Each week, CPDA Vice President of Government Relations Andrew Walmsley breaks down the latest developments in Washington and what they mean for the crop protection and ag technology sectors in Insider Ag Policy,  a concise, no-spin briefing followed by hundreds of policymakers, industry leaders, and association partners.



If you’d like these updates delivered directly to your inbox, click Subscribe on LinkedIn to join more than 750 readers who already follow Insider Ag Policy.

CPDA Member Career Opportunities

Upcoming Industry Events

Until next time….