Ask the Expert
As you face challenges in the crop protection, biologicals, and plant health markets, AgriBusiness Global DIRECT gets your questions answered from industry leaders. Here experts answer a few questions from the AgriBusiness Global community.
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James Maude
Senior Vice President
Acadian Plant Health
ABG: What role do the multinational companies need to play in promoting the plant health segment?
JM: Their buy-in investment in biostimulant technologies is critical. In general, agriculture needs to transition. The products have traditionally been an add-on for a grower, not a central part of their agronomy program. The multinationals will position these as a central part of the program.
It’s a completely different positioning, and they have the ability to do it in a stepwise fashion. Their initial positioning will be alongside their own technologies. They may sell it to offset some dose rates on fungicides or fertilizer using a halfway kind of combination. The next step will be building formulations that have 100% biological or regenerative ag composition. The first step would be half (biological) and half (traditional), and the second step would be full (biological).
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Vincent Dreze
Managing Director
Eurofins Agroscience Services
ABG: How do you check the overall reputation and track record of a CRO for a specific study if you are engaging with them for the first time and no other industry members are sharing the information? How do you get this data?
VD: CROs with a sound reputation are the ones who are often well connected to industry associations such as CropLife Europe, CropLife International, International Biocontrol Manufacturers’ Association, and European Biostimulants Industry Council. They are actively participating in working groups dealing with technical and regulatory issues. They are also the ones contributing to the establishment and validation of methodologies and testing to be used in a regulatory framework.
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Piyatida Pukclai
Regional Sales and Regulatory Policy Manager
Knoell
ABG: With ever increasing use of drones for pesticide spraying, what will be the effects on pesticide regulations including less amount, worker protection, environmental protections, etc.?
PP: The adoption of drone technology deployment requires governments to respond with a sound regulatory framework to prevent uncontrolled and inappropriate use of these applications. Managing the potential risks associated with drone application is important. It is important to consider the various risks associated with drone application, which include operator capability, environmental variables, drone specifications, and product formulation. In several Asian countries, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) have been put in place for spray operators, drone manufacturers, and pesticide manufacturers to comply with in order to be authorized to operate these drones with pesticide spray. SOP rules regarding label instruction stewardship and pesticide emergencies and emergency response are also required. •
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