Introduction: Building a New Message Around Biologicals

The industry has seen impressive growth and adoption rates in recent years. It’s time for a new approach to keep that trend going. By Richard Jones | Corporate Content Director, Meister Media Worldwide

The message that the biologicals industry has been sharing for the last decade goes something like this:“Biological products work. They really do!”“They’re natural products, but they’re not just for organic growers.”“They work great in integrated pest management programs with traditional chemistries and other biologicals as well — and they serve as a critical resistance management tool.”“Short pre-harvest and re-entry intervals after using the products make them safe and more convenient when you need them.”“If you’re exporting product, they’re a perfect fit for managing Maximum Residue Limits no matter where you’re shipping.”“They may be a little more expensive, but when you consider all the factors, they aren’t really as expensive as you think.”All of this is accurate and tells a good story. And to be sure, there have been some major wins to discuss.Biologicals are among the fastest growing agricultural categories, and that growth is only expected to accelerate. Adoption of biological crop protection products in specialty crop fields, orchards, vineyards, and controlled environment production is a true success story. In other areas, including row crops, biostimulants are getting a lot of well-deserved attention. Across the board, the perception of these products is generally positive.So why does it feel like we are still staring at an ocean of untapped opportunity with this technology?Build on What WorksWe talked with countless sources for this special report, and we heard it repeatedly: As successful as the industry has been in growing the use of biological products, there are still many people who have yet to receive the message. They might be relatively unaware of biologicals, or maybe don’t understand the products that are available or how they work. Some remain unconvinced about efficacy and affordability. Using biologicals as a preventive in a system built around solving the problem you see in front of you right now calls for a big shift in the production mindset for many people.When information isn’t getting through to an audience, it’s often wise to change the message or how it’s being delivered. In this case, it might be best to build on the solid foundation that’s already there.The industry shouldn’t abandon the basics. Efficacy. Safety. Resistance and residue management. These elements are some of the most critical benefits a product can offer. They should remain a large part of the story.But the message around these attributes might need a booster to grab the attention of a consumer or retailer or grower looking for solutions that match their own priorities.The Biological Products Industry Alliance (BPIA) took a big step in this direction in 2021, creating an effective video designed to educate stakeholders on the basics of biological products. This informative but easy-to-understand clip lays out all the necessary basics on biologicals — what they are, how they’re applied, their benefits of being able to target specific pests, the sustainability message, and more. But efforts like this are just the first step to raise awareness and broader acceptance of these tools.

Creating Next-Generation Messaging for BiologicalsAs part of this project, I reached out to contacts across the biologicals industry for their opinions on what message might resonate best with the growers, ag retailers and distributors, food and plant retailers, educators and researchers, policymakers, and consumers who stand to benefit from the use of biological solutions. And how should the industry communicate that message to them?The responses I received were thoughtful and fascinating, and among them, a few common threads emerged:

Appeal to the Desire for a More Sustainable Production System

Consumer interest in sustainably grown food did not diminish during the pandemic but, in fact, continues to increase. Recent surveys reported by Forbes, Food Business News, and others point to consumers’ commitment to support sustainable practices, including when deciding what food to purchase from grocery stores or restaurants. Biologicals fit right in with sustainability.

Valent U.S.A.

The world is currently undergoing a profound and inevitable transformation toward more sustainable agriculture. The theory and practice of regenerative agriculture is getting traction. A critical factor in the success of regenerative agriculture for growers will be how, as an industry, we can provide demonstrable benefits over the short- and long-term. It will be insufficient to utilize regenerative agriculture simply as a marketing buzzword, but rather, we must demonstrate that this way of growing provides measurable gains to the market.

Michael Pratt | Commercial Director, Lallemand Plant Care

Education is Everyone’s Responsibility

Marketplace education doesn’t happen overnight, but everyone in agriculture should feel a responsibility to help educate the supply chain and consumers on sustainable agriculture and the benefits of biologicals. Biological products offer an alternative that is here to stay and educating the public will be key to their success

Derrick Tice | National Marketing Manager, Innvictis BioScience

No two growers are the same, and we know that no two orchards or fields are the same either. Neither are the pests and diseases threatening their hard-earned investments. Growers face an unprecedented amount of demand for their time in today’s marketplace and need choices that make economic and technical sense for their operation.  As manufacturers and distributors, we are here to provide clear answers and support in helping growers balance their bio-based options as part of an effective IPM program.

Mike Allan | Vice-President, North America, Certis Biologicals

Too often, growers get caught up in the word “organic” and not the other essential characteristics of biological products. Even a conventional grower who applies synthetic chemistries can apply and use botanical-based biologicals. Sometimes growers think biologicals and OMRI listed products do not work as well as synthetic chemistries. They tend to have a reactive approach to problems over a proactive approach. Biologicals tend to be more of a proactive approach and require more awareness of when problems occur. With this knowledge, even conventional growers can add biologicals to their IPM program

Michael Hull | Technical Service Manager, Kemin Crop Technologies

Demonstrate Real-world Results and Set Clear Expectations

Manufacturers have a responsibility to prove the efficacy and benefits of these products and be able to explain the fundamentals of how these products really work.  Education and proven results are key.  We have to prove, through multiple product trials, third-party in-field trials, and on-farm results, that there is a financial benefit for the grower in using these products over what they are currently using, along with other critical benefits like safety and sustainability.

Dale Hanke | U.S. Director of Marketing, Stoller USA

We must set real expectations regarding the efficacy of each biological product.  Do not over promise or expect them to perform in the same way as some conventional chemical pesticides’ AI.

Michel Tremblay | VP Marketing, BioTepp

I think we should change the messaging to say that these new products are a step change in performance compared to previous versions and that the performance is comparable to synthetics. Compare the efficacy, cost, and ROI of the products when compared to conventional programs. The economics of using these products have improved in the last 5-10 years.  Whereas in the past they were viewed as having a cost disadvantage, that is not the case anymore — so any comparisons to show this ‘closing of the gap’ would be useful

Ashish Malik | CEO, Bee Vectoring Technologies

Communicate Clearly and Learn from Everyone

The audiences are so different — grower, supply chain, and consumer — we can’t look at a ‘one-size-fits-all’ communication program. There needs to be a communication style that’s applicable to each stakeholder.

BioWorks

We need to acknowledge growers as the highly educated and intelligent partners that they are because growers have the most at stake when it comes to implementing new products. We need to listen closely to their concerns, intuitions, and real-world experiences when putting these products to use.

Stephanie Senner | Marketing Director, Suterra

With the notion that the best communication is always rooted in frequent and radical transparency, the stakeholders must work collectively to share publicly the successes and failures to hone the best recommendations and benefits of these products.

Patrick Clark | Technical Marketing Manager, BioSafe Systems

Growers by now are well aware of the benefits of integrating some level of biological solutions into their respective operations. What is more critical on the communication challenge is reaching the consumer. As an industry, pushing the importance of biologicals for plant protection and soil health has not been fully adopted at the consumer level. For example, today’s consumers swiftly influenced food choice regarding plant-based diets, gluten-free, GMO-free, and eating local. If these food trends are based on consumer preferences, then the importance of biosolutions in food production seems like a perfect fit to the conversation. Food value chain champions should be compelled to bring the importance of biologicals not just to commercial stakeholders but to the kitchen table as well.

Ernest ‘Boomer’ Cardinale | US Director, Marketing & Business Development, Decco, a UPL Company

Real-world benefits have brought the biologicals industry a long way in the past 10 years. Implementing ideas like these will go a long way toward enabling similar growth in the decade to come.