Biostimulants Establishing Market Credentials
March 2, 2026 The U.S. biostimulants market is solid, with market value estimated to reach $7.84 billion by 2030, up from $4.46 billion in 2025. Overall, the sector is projected to achieve a strong compound annual growth rate of 11.9% during this time, according to MarketsandMarkets.
Even with projected growth, when commodity prices dropped last year, Mike Skinner, CEO of Aqueus, was surprised when biostimulant sales more than doubled last year for the company’s flagship product, Growthful.
Chad Bush, Vice President of Commercial, PhycoTerra, noticed the change as well, saying: “2025 was a notable shift. Agriculture professionals moved away from trial products to repeatable biostimulant programs.”
Instead of asking about efficacy, growers want information about how biostimulants compare with other inputs or how to deploy the products across acres without variability.
Drew Harmon, Midwest Technical Agronomist, Valent BioSciences, says it is progressive and business-minded growers that are most likely to adopt biostimulants. These are the growers focused on the advantages provided by these products including nutrient use efficiency and the ability to manage stress along with yield improvements.
In addition to improved yield increase and soil health, government and food companies’ investment in regenerative farming is another key driver.
“So, I would say the interesting thing about biological products, and really biostimulants in particular, is that we’re trying to move away from the idea of simple inputs and really think of them more as tools that influence the plants internal regulatory pathways,” says Benjamin Runge, Product Marketing Manager, Plant Advantage Portfolio at Helm Crop Solutions. “So, they act more like biochemical cues that help the plant express the genetics that it already has more consistently, even in stressful conditions. So instead of feeding the plant externally, in a supplemental fashion, we’re triggering internal pathways.”
The 2026 Outlook
As growers receive data, education and financial incentives for using biostimulants in regenerative ag programs, and big players such as FMC Corp., Corteva Agriscience, and Syngenta continue to invest in biostimulant innovation and soil health, the market will continue to evolve and grow. Mike Steffeck, CEO at HGS BioScience, sees four additional trends that will continue to influence the segment.
- There will be continued consolidation.
- End users will see more stacked technologies — combination products that address multiple issues.
- There will be increased focus on delivery and compatibility.
- The rising expectation for continued scientific support.
Additional work influencing the sector includes the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials adopting a definition for plant biostimulants and introducing The Plant Biostimulant Act of 2025 last May. This is now being reviewed by the House Committee on Agriculture.
Companies are also campaigning to educate and help growers to understand, use and profit from biostimulants.
Recently, Rovensa Next launched Biosolutionize Agriculture, a science-backed campaign based on the company’s portfolio of products, along with new technology and farming practices.
“Full potential is still constrained by a persistent knowledge and capability gap at the farmgate … [there is a need for] support and technical know-how required to use them effectively,” says Adriana Boock, Chief Product Officer at the company. “Growers want data.”
Application Changes
Return-on-investment will always be a key consideration for end users. For ag retailers, the key is understanding and, just as importantly, being able to explain how biostimulants have changed and how they add value.
PhycoTerra’s Bush says: “Retailers don’t need another product category to manage. They need reliable tools that help growers protect return-on-investment in an era where weather is unpredictable, margins are tighter, and every decision has to earn its place.”
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