CropLife America Turns 90
There’s something undeniably special about anything turning 90 — be it an individual, a company, or a trade association, writes Eric Sfiligoj at CropLife Magazine. The reason is simple — not too many people/organizations ever make it the nine-decade mark in the first place. That’s why the world-at-large tends to honor any entity that reaches this important milestone.
Of course, for legacy trade associations, one of the secrets to being in business for this long has a lot to do with knowing when to adapt to the changing world around them. Otherwise, they run the very serious risk of not remaining relevant or remaining viable.
For example, take the case of Arlington, VA-based CropLife America. Founded in 1933, the organization is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2023. According to Chris Novak, President/CEO, the major reason his association has survived through nine decades ties directly back to its ability to evolve as the industry it serves has.
“If there’s one word that best describes CropLife America today, it has to be innovation,” says Novak. “In agriculture, we are and have been a technology industry that provides service to farmers. But the innovation has certainly changed and evolved over those 90 years.
“I also think that as an organization, we are doing things very differently today than what we did 50 years ago, 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago,” he continues. “The way we communicate to Congress, legislators, and other market influencers who impact our industry has changed this whole time.”
To appreciate just how deep this level of evolution for CropLife America has been over the years, Novak goes back to the organization’s beginnings in 1933 as the Agricultural Insecticide and Fungicide Association started out based in New York City. At that time, the association functioned as a “certifier” of chemicals. “When CropLife America was formed, it was about ensuring the effectiveness and efficacy of the products so that the industry would have some integrity with farmers,” he says.
Today, 90 years later, the primary function of CropLife America oversees multiple levels of pesticide certification and usage — inside of the agricultural world as well as outside of it. “Clearly, since that time, our focus has shifted as the demands on the industry have shifted,” says Novak. “Today, our industry is about providing products to help farmers deal with challenges such as weed resistance, insect control, and a changing climate. Farmers are going to need new and different tools to deal with those things. Our industry has also had to innovate and address consumer concerns about such issues as soil health, water quality, and the protection of non-target species.”
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