Interest and investment in biological alternatives to traditional agricultural products is accelerating globally. With the agricultural biologicals market currently valued at approximately $14.7 billion USD and projected to reach $27.9 billion by 2028, the sector is experiencing rapid growth. Despite this momentum, fresh produce growers face persistent challenges in navigating the expanding and often fragmented landscape of biological products.
To address these challenges and explore scientific and practical solutions, Western Growers and Plant & Food Research, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute (New Zealand) hosted the Biologicals Researcher Convening: Gaps and Opportunities for Development and Efficacy of Biological Pest Control Tools on June 26, 2025, at the Robert Mondavi Institute at UC Davis. This focused workshop gathered international researchers specializing in biopesticides from the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
The researcher participants prioritized the following key areas:
- Navigating the biopesticides discovery to farm adoption pipeline
- Designing robust biological trials and defining meaningful measures of efficacy and success
- Advancing adoption of biological pest control tools within commercial fresh produce systems
- Identifying funding needs and opportunities to support impactful research
Participants brought diverse, international perspectives on the scientific and regulatory pathways required to validate and scale biopesticides. Participants underscored the importance of standardizing trial methodologies, increasing transparency around product performance and enhancing international, cross-sector collaboration.
The workshop offered a valuable platform for exchanging research insights, aligning priorities and fostering collaboration across regions/countries. These collaborations can accelerate the development and validation of biologicals through knowledge exchange, shared resources and counter-seasonal trialing. By highlighting gaps and identifying actionable opportunities, the workshop moved the conversation forward toward a more effective and grower-focused future for biological pest control in fresh produce.
Tangible outcomes are important, and this workshop progressed guidelines for testing field efficacy of biopesticides that will be made available to growers, biologicals companies and researchers. As well as these guidelines, the group will develop a map of biologicals development and a pathway for collaboration across all steps of that development.