The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the long-awaited draft guidance on biostimulant products. See here.
BPIA is pleased that EPA has released the Draft Guidance for Plant Regulator Label Claims, Including Plant Biostimulants for public comment. See here.
Many stakeholders including industry and state regulators have been eagerly awaiting this guidance, and it looks to be helpful. The draft guidance describes the term plant biostimulants in a way that is consistent with the definitions previously proposed in both Europe and the United States. The draft guidance provides some clarification regarding claims, but it also raises some questions regarding a possible new expansion of FIFRA authority over other products.
The guidance has been released at a time that should facilitate ongoing efforts to create a comprehensive and uniform path to market for biostimulants in the United States. Developing final guidance on plant regulator claims is an important step towards satisfying the biostimulant provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill requiring the Secretary of Agriculture, the EPA Administrator, states, and relevant stakeholders to provide a report to the President and Congress by the end of this year that identifies any potential regulatory and legislative recommendations, including the appropriateness of any definition for plant biostimulants.
