Invasive Weed Control an Emerging Market for Pesticide Suppliers

LITTLE FALLS, NJ, September 14, 2006 – Spread by the wind, animals, and human activity, highly mobile populations of non-native plant species continue their advance into areas where they are not kept in check by natural predators. Once established, invasive plants present unique control challenges, requiring specialty applications to combat a specific weed on a regional basis.

The increasing severity of the invasive weed problem in the United States represents significant opportunities for pesticide manufacturers, and a newly proposed study by Kline & Company, THE U.S. MARKET FOR INVASIVE WEED CONTROL PRODUCTS 2007, will explore the nature of invasive species control and attempt to quantify the current and forecast growth of this market sector.

“Invasive plants present a rare situation where a number of different organizations––from environmental advocacy groups to recreational interests to governmental agencies––are united on the importance of this issue. It’s a growing concern in nearly every state,” says Dennis Fugate, manager of the Specialty Pesticides practice for Kline’s research division. “Even conservancy organizations are recognizing the need for chemical control in certain cases to stop the spread of invasive weeds.

Invasive weeds are estimated to affect over 100 million acres in the United States, doing $20 billion in damage annually to native vegetation, grazing areas, and animal habitat, according to the U.S Geological Survey. And they are spreading at a rate of 4,600 acres per day, or 1.7 million acres annually, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

While invasive species in general represent a widespread problem, regional differences are extremely important. A species that is a minor nuisance in one area may be a big problem in another. Awareness of the problem is growing, and 45 states have designated certain plants as noxious and have programs available to manage them.

“Not many people other than those directly affected are talking about invasives as a market opportunity yet, but the rate of spread and growing concern about noxious weeds indicates this is already an important market sector for pesticides,” says Mancer Cyr, senior associate for Kline’s Specialty Pesticides consulting practice. “Government agencies and large private landholders need to know how best to combat the weed problems they have now and prepare to defend against the species that are coming over the horizon.”

THE U.S. MARKET FOR INVASIVE WEED CONTROL PRODUCTS 2007 will provide an in-depth look at the current market for chemical control of invasive species as well as an outlook for this sector in the future. It will provide an overview of the most important specific invasive weeds, their rate of migration, control options currently being used, responsibility for control and funding in place for control on a state and/or regional level.

This new study will serve as a companion study to the recently published study titled THE U.S. INDUSTRIAL VEGETATION MANAGEMENT MARKET FOR PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZERS 2006. Kline’s sixteenth edition of this study provides a comprehensive look at pesticide and fertilizer use in forestry, electric utilities, roadways, railroads, rangeland and pastureland, aquatic pesticides, and airports.

For more information on these studies, go to www.klinegroup.com/sslife.htm or contact Dennis Fugate at +1-410-418-8934. In Europe, contact Erin Durham at +39-0331-976969.

Established in 1959, Kline & Company (www.klinegroup.com) is a management consulting and market research firm serving clients worldwide in the life sciences, chemicals and materials, consumer products, and energy sectors.

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