Two biostimulants have recently been certified through The Fertilizer Institute’s (TFI) Certified Biostimulant program, which ensures products conform to industry guidelines and helps growers and retailers assess products more confidently.
“Biostimulant products have been shown to promote nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and overall plant health and vigor. The Certified Biostimulant Program was established to provide a standard for these products and ensure growers and retailers will be able to confidently select the right solutions to fit their programs,” says TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch.
| The Fertilizer Institute Launches Biostimulant Certification Applications and Program |
One of the newly certified products is Timac Agro USA’s Duo Maxx – the first fertilizer additive to receive this status.
“We are extremely proud to be the first fertilizer additive to have received the Certified Biostimulant label from TFI,” Timac Agro CEO Jake Tanis said. “There is an increasing number of biostimulant products on the market, making decisions related to using them more and more confusing for farmers. Having the certification label from TFI provides both the retailer and end-user with the assurance that we’ve gone the extra mile to adhere to the US Biostimulant Industry Guidelines.”
Duo Maxx provides below-ground protection against nutrient loss. Timac Agro’s southern U.S. director of agronomy, Michael Pisciotta, believes this certification will help the product be recognized as an innovative solution amongst the wave of new formulas and ideas hitting the marketplace.
“We hope that gaining the Certified Biostimulant label is viewed as an important step in changing the way that farmers move forward with improving the efficiency of traditional fertilizer sources,” he says.
The second new addition to the program is Valent BioSciences’ Transit 500 biostimulant. Transit 500 is a liquid biostimulant that improves tolerance to and recovery from abiotic stress, enhances fertilizer efficiencies and increases nutrient uptake.
“We are excited to be one of the first certifications awarded under the Certified Biostimulant Program and look forward to seeing how this program will enhance the recognition and understanding of biostimulants throughout the industry,” says Maria Herrero, senior director of regulatory affairs for Valent BioSciences.
The program’s third newly certified product is Biodyne’s Environoc 401.
According to Biodyne, Environoc 401 increases fertilizer efficiency and mitigates the overuse of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
“For Biodyne USA, this certification demonstrates our adherence to stringent manufacturing standards and testing methods,” says Gilman Farley, owner of Biodyne USA. “It allows ag retailers to consider our product for shelf space confidently and gives growers assurance in our product’s compliance with industry standards, enabling them to make informed decisions.”
It’s important to note certified products are not being evaluated or tested for how well they perform. Independent experts review submitted biostimulants for their adherence to industry guidelines. Approved products have a special label on their packaging and are certified for six years.
There are currently five total products that have received Certified Biostimulant status through TFI.
