New Herbicides, Biologicals, and Insect Controls Fuel Crop Protection’s Momentum
March 3, 2026 
Compared with other parts of the agricultural community during 2025, the crop protection products category’s performance was very steady. According to data from the 2025 CropLife 100 survey of the nation’s top ag retailers, the overall revenues for this sector last year topped $15.3 billion — the identical mark crop protection products managed to record during the 2024 growing season.
According to Dr. Eric Scherder, U.S. Crop Protection Technical Lead at Corteva Agriscience, there’s a very good reason why crop protection products — particularly herbicides — have maintained their growth year-over-year: Need.
“The 2025 season brought challenging commodity prices and difficult weather for much of the U.S., but farmers continue to prioritize weed control by adopting newer herbicide tools to keep production high and sustainable,” says Scherder. “An herbicide program approach with multiple modes of action provides better weed control during the growing season and helps protect farm operations and land value for the future. Keeping weeds out of the field and the seedbank is critical every season — we saw that in 2025 — and it will remain an imperative for the future of U.S. agriculture.”
Scherder adds that ag retailers and their grower-customers should expect to see more new product innovations coming from crop protection companies throughout the 2026 growing season.
“Enlist corn truly is a major technological breakthrough with the potential to impact millions of acres across the U.S.,” he says. “Enlist corn gives farmers the ultimate weed management flexibility with four robust herbicide trait tolerances — 2,4-D choline, glyphosate, glufosinate, and FOP (aryloxyphenoxypropionate class) — providing additional modes of action to control broadleaves and grasses.”
In addition, Scherder adds, there are several new offerings that fit into the biologicals space.
“Biologicals complement the Corteva herbicide portfolio because they work together toward the same goal: Healthy crops for maximum yield potential,” he says. “NEXTA biologicals protect and preserve this yield potential season-long with a start, grow, finish approach. These biological products work in tandem with existing herbicide and insecticide products to protect crops and yield potential.”
New Insect Controls
Speaking of insecticides, there are several new products being introduced for the 2026 growing season in this sector as well. One of these is Naxypro Plus from Nufarm Americas. Featuring a combination of chlorantraniliprole and bifenthrin, Naxypro Plus is formulated for broad-acre applications — including soybeans and corn — to control lepidoptera such as armyworm, earworm, and soybean looper, plus a range of damaging insects such as aphids, mites, and whiteflies.
Another major pest getting renewed attention in 2026 are soybean cyst nematodes (SCN). Throughout late 2025, several major crop protection/seed producers launched new products to combat these yield robbing organisms, both in the crop protection and seed segments.
This past November, Vive Crop Protection announced that its Averland FC nematicide received federal registration to be used in soybeans. According to Dor Kestecher, North America Product Team Leader, Averland FC is designed with Vive’s Precision Chemistry technology and targets nematodes at the root zone.
“Growers have been asking for a solution that fits into their planting programs,” says Kestecher. “With Averland FC, we’re delivering nematode protection that helps growers guard their soybeans right from the start.”
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