Laura Mahecha
Director, Agrochemicals
Product Standards Being Developed by the Industry
The U.S. currently lacks a unified federal regulation for biostimulants, resulting in a fragmented system dominated by state-level oversight, unlike the harmonized frameworks found in the EU, India, China, and Brazil. At the federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates products considered plant regulators under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees biological soil amendments of animal origin under the Produce Safety Rule. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides guidance, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates genetically modified or plant-risk microorganisms. This fragmented system of product approvals creates complexity for biostimulant manufacturers.
A recent CropLife magazine article, “Biologicals Giving Science to the Skeptics”, highlights the growing push for certification and verification programs for agricultural biostimulants to build trust and transparency in a rapidly expanding but often confusing market. In June 2023, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) launched its Certified Biostimulants Program, aimed at giving agronomists, retailers, and growers confidence by certifying products based on U.S. Biostimulant Industry guidelines. AgroLiquid became the first company certified in April 2024, and nearly a dozen products have since earned the designation. Similarly, WinField United introduced its BioVerified Designation in 2024, evaluating biological products using four criteria: uniqueness, agronomic performance, operational compatibility, and economic return. The program is open to all companies, not just WinField United products, and currently includes more than a dozen approved biologicals. Industry experts note that these certification programs are becoming essential rather than optional, as growers seek reliable ways to separate effective products from overhyped ones. While skepticism remains due to past overclaims and inconsistent performance, companies emphasize rigorous R&D, unbiased field trials, and clear product positioning. Overall, increasing data transparency and third-party certification are helping strengthen grower confidence in the efficacy and value of biological products.
Market Poised for Growth
Biostimulants, which include substances like seaweed extracts, humic acids, and microbial inoculants, improve plant nutrition, stress tolerance, and soil health. The U.S. biostimulant market is experiencing robust growth, which Kline values at ~$700 million in 2025 with projections to reach over $1.0 billion by 2030, driven by increasing demand for sustainable agriculture, enhanced crop yields, and advocacy for formal regulatory definitions of biostimulants from industry. The U.S. market for biostimulants is poised for growth due to advanced agricultural technologies, infrastructure, and strong demand for sustainable farming and organic food. Products containing humic substances, seaweed extracts, and amino acids are growing with increased use on row crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat. Other factors contributing to the growth of these products include climate change, pest resistance to synthetic crop protection products, and innovations by leading suppliers. Biostimulants have been found to increase crop yield at a reasonable cost and are receiving acceptance in various market segments, including fruit and nuts, vegetables, row crops, seed treatment, and non-crop applications such as consumer, turf, ornamentals, and greenhouses. Biofertilizers have recently been challenged by commodity price pressures; however, the long-term outlook remains positive. Interest from growers in biofertilizers increases products that improve nutrient use efficiency and enhance nutrient uptake and soil health, particularly when synthetic fertilizer prices increase.
Sustainable Agriculture Trends
Sustainable agriculture continues to drive gains for biostimulants in the United States. American farmers continue to use biostimulants, biofertilizers, and natural inoculants on seeds, row crops, and fruit, nuts, vegetables, and other specialty crops. Other areas that are growing in the U.S. include bacterial and fungal products and seaweed extracts. American farmers are increasingly using biostimulant mixtures to protect their crops from abiotic stress such as severe weather and pest resistance. Commonly used mixtures include those that contain seaweed extracts, humic acids, protein hydrolysates, and microbial components like bacteria, plant extracts, and/or peptides. The market is extremely fragmented. The sheer number of companies and products competing, ingredients and multifunctional products, and lack of clear regulations or defined registration process make this a highly changeable and complex market. With over 350 companies involved in the market across 12 active ingredient categories, this is a diffuse, highly fragmented market. This degree of complexity, however, opens many opportunities for consolidation, mergers, acquisitions, alliances, and partnerships.
Innovation Driving the Industry Forward
Innovation in the industry continues to evolve with new products being researched and launched regularly, aided by using artificial intelligence and precision agriculture technologies. Some examples of innovative areas being developed include multi-strain blends that work to enhance plant health in the rhizosphere, nanotechnology encapsulation techniques that allow for controlled-release formulas, new products derived from marine plants, ag by-products, fermentation, and precision biostimulants tailored to specific crops, soil types, or climate conditions. New LCO-based biostimulants (lipo-chitooligosaccharides) are entering the market and are being added to combination products, including LCO with a pesticide, fertilizer, or other biostimulants, and are bringing gains to this segment. The convergence of biostimulants and precision agriculture technologies offers substantial value propositions. Companies that combine Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, satellite imagery, and machine learning algorithms with biostimulant applications have reported efficacy improvements of 15-25%. Prominent partnerships include collaborations among industry leaders such as John Deere, Trimble, and Climate Corporation.
Expanding Global Research on Biostimulants and Biofertilizers
In addition to ongoing research on the U.S. market, Kline is conducting analysis across eight additional markets: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, India, and Japan.
The upcoming study, Biostimulants and Biofertilizer: Global Market Overview and Opportunities, will provide a comprehensive view of the global biologicals landscape. The research includes an extensive database covering thousands of products, with detailed information on product types, crop uses, treated areas, active ingredients, use rates, pricing, and market value.
The accompanying report analyzes key trends, competitive dynamics, regulatory developments, and future growth opportunities. Organizations seeking to strengthen their biological strategy can use this research to better understand emerging markets and technology directions.
Biostimulants Market and Regulatory Trends
For additional insights, Kline’s Director of Agrochemicals, Laura Mahecha, recently presented the webinar “Biostimulants: Navigating Regulations and Market Trends.” If you were unable to attend, the full presentation is now available for download.
Request the presentation to get a clear view of:
- U.S. biostimulants market size and trends
- Regulatory situation
- New technologies and products
- Leading suppliers
- Future market outlook
