The Coming of ESA: What It Means for Crop Protection
November 12, 2025 In April 2022, the EPA issued a document. Known as the “workplan,” it described how the agency would comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) before registering any new conventional pesticides, and for registration reviews, which occur on 15-year intervals, ensure that each existing active ingredient continues to meet the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) standard of causing no unreasonable adverse effects. For the ag industry, the particular interest in this document stemmed from EPA’s three separate strategies pertaining to herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.
The final Herbicide Strategy was released in August 2024. Insecticides followed approximately one year later. Fungicides should be released next year. According to the EPA, the goal of all of these strategies is “to develop a broad approach to address spray drift and runoff transport from treated fields to minimize exposure to listed 15 plants from herbicides …” and protect animal species that rely on specific plants.
In response to the EPA’s workplan, agriculture industry associations, including the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology, CropLife America, and the Agricultural Retailers Association, took the lead to advocate on behalf of growers for practical mitigation options, stepping up collaboration across the industry, and exploring ways to help the EPA meet its goals while maintaining the industry’s voice in the process.
One of the mitigation tools recognized by the ESA Herbicide Strategy is the use of certain adjuvants. However, according to Glenda Gehl, Vice President, R&D and Innovation, Ag Business at WinField United, this should come as no surprise to those who have followed the development of adjuvants the past 25 years.
“One of the most transformative innovations in crop protection has been the development of proprietary adjuvants,” says Gehl. “This innovation has been pivotal not only for WinField United but for the entire industry. It improves performance, reduces input costs, and helps farmers extract more value from every application.”
In addition to adjuvants, Gehl also thinks the crop protection/seed companies will continue to expand upon the development of biologicals – in part because of things such as ESA. “The biologicals market is a key area to watch,” she says. “As regulatory uncertainty and market access challenges persist, biologicals offer a viable alternative with faster speed to market.”
Furthermore, into all of these new advancements for the crop protection/seed businesses, Smart Tech will inevitably come into play, adds Gehl.
“Converting data into actionable insights has always been central to WinField United’s approach,” she says. “Looking ahead, we’re investing in smart technologies that empower retailers and growers alike.”
One of these efforts is an AI-powered assistant for the WinField United Crop Protection Guide.
“This tool helps retail sellers quickly access decades of applied research, enabling fast, confident recommendations,” says Gehl. “It integrates agronomic data, transactional insights, and field-level observations to support smarter decisions — from forecasting pest pressure to optimizing inventory and rebate strategies. By integrating agronomic data from our Answer Plots and Innovation Center, transactional data from Agrimine, and field-level insights from growers, we’re unlocking new efficiencies — from forecasting pest pressure to optimizing inventory and rebate strategies. These innovations are not just about technology; they’re about enabling better decisions, stronger relationships, and more resilient farming systems.”
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