Over its 14 years of existence, the Biopesticide Industry Alliance (BPIA) has helped steward the growth and acceptance of biopesticides in the fresh produce industry. The last several years have seen several biopesticide companies merged with or absorbed into larger entities. This growth and consolidation of the industry has, in the eyes of BPIA's Executive Director, Bill Stoneman, been a boon for the industry's advancement.
“We have two key missions at BPIA,” explained Stoneman. “The first is to improve the global acceptance of biopesticides as having strong value to growers and to consumer. We're promoting adoption of biopesticides, not as contrary to other pesticides, but in most cases as a complement to them.” The second goal, which is to facilitate the successful development and adoption of biopesticides, is one which has become more accessible with the acquisition of biopesticide companies by larger entities.
“Bayer acquired AgraQuest , BASF bought Becker Underwood and Monsanto has made significant investments in biopesticides, and what I think this has done is, rather than having shrunk the industry, it has stimulated new industry development,” noted Stoneman. “We had about 50 members at the time of the first acquisition, AgraQuest, and now we have about 80 members. There's also been growth at the start-up level that has been stimulated by investments from big companies, such as the creation of BioConsortia in Davis, California.” That growth, spurred on by acquitions and investments from some of the world's largest companies, has been a boon to an industry that looks to provide additional tools to growers. That those additional tools are often used in conjunction with conventional pesticides could explain why the makers of conventional pesticides have taken such an interest in biopesticides in recent years.
“One thing that is often confusing about us is that people think our primary target is organics, and while it's an important market for us it's only seven to eight percent of our business” said Stoneman. “Our market is the market for conventional pesticides, and that can be a part of resistance management or dealing with maximum residue level requirements, where we can offer opportunities to growers, especially those who export to markets with strict mrl requirements, to use biopesticides that are exempt from those requirements because they don't contribute any residues. So, really, 40 percent of our business is what can be done in conjunction with conventional pesticides.”