This bill excludes certain plant biostimulants (i.e., substances, microorganisms, or mixtures thereof that support a plant's natural processes independently of the nutrient content) from regulation as pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
Specifically, the bill excludes biological plant biostimulants (or those that are synthetic but structurally similar to substances of biological origin) from being classified as plant regulators, which are substances regulated as pesticides under FIFRA. Additionally, the bill excludes nutritional chemicals and plant biostimulants from being classified as nitrogen stabilizers, which are generally regulated as pesticides under FIFRA. The bill also establishes statutory definitions for plant biostimulants, nutritional chemicals, and vitamin hormone products.
The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to study and report on the types of plant biostimulants and practices of plant biostimulant use that best achieve certain results, such as increasing organic matter content.