EU Parliament rejects SUR opportunity to provide farmers with biocontrol alternatives to secure food production 

A majority of the European Parliament rejected the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR) on November 22, 2023. IBMA regrets the loss of an opportunity that had the potential to accelerate access to innovative nature-based solutions. (Brussels, 23 November 2023) Until now, the SUR was the only piece of EU legislation on the table that would have […]

Spearheading Innovative-Nature-based Solutions to Ensure Food Security: Biocontrol Industry Meeting Attracts More Than 1800 Delegates in Basel

The Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) 2023 welcomed over 1800 participants from 58 countries highlighting the essential role biocontrol plays in providing better solutions for plant protection and securing the future of food and farming. Organised by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL and IBMA (International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association) in Basel, Switzerland, the 18th […]

Bernard Blum Award 2023 Gold Winner is PEA-02® by DCM

We have Bernard Blum Award 2023 Winners! The best biocontrol product of the year is PEA-02® by DCM. The awardees have been announced at ABIM 2023 where Owen Jones, Chair of the Bernard Blum Award judging panel and Jennifer Lewis, Executive Director of IBMA, have presented the 2023 Bernard Blum Award short list success stories and the winning entry presentation. […]

Appointment of IBMA Regulatory Adviser

We are delighted to announce that Jeroen Meeussen joins IBMA as Regulatory Adviser. Jeroen Meeussen is a plant pathologist by training and has a long history in crop protection and regulatory affairs. Jeroen worked for more than 20 years at the Board for the authorisation of plant protection products and biocides (Ctgb) in the Netherlands. […]

Appointment of IBMA Communications Manager

We are delighted to welcome, Niamh Holland-Essoh to IBMA as our new Communications Manager. For the past decade, Niamh led the communications team at IFOAM – Organics International where she was responsible for raising awareness of the solutions sustainable agriculture can bring to global challenges such as biodiversity loss, soil degradation and rural development. To […]

News from IBMA España: 21st century technology with 19th century bureaucracy

(read the Spanish version) From IBMA Espana, we want to reflect on the recent informal meeting of European Union Agriculture Ministers that took place in Córdoba on September 4th and 5th. The crucial role of new technologies in agriculture was discussed at the meeting, especially with regard to adaptation to climate change and global food […]

EFSA survey on proposed amendments to the filtering rules for IUCLID dossiers

The EFSA is working on amendments to the filtering rules for IUCLID dossiers, proposed for implementation as from April 2024. You can consult the IUCLID for pesticides filtering rule proposal for April 2024. These rules are up for public consultation until 20 September and any feedback can be provided through EU Survey where more details […]

EFSA update of the Questions and Answers (Q&As) on EFSA’s Practical Arrangements

The EFSA has published an important update of the Questions and Answers (Q&As) on EFSA’s Practical Arrangements. This new version concerns the arrangements of the pre-submission phase and introduces important updates relevant to the Notification of Studies. Check the Annex 1 with the list of main changes introduced: The “Questions and Answers on EFSA Practical […]

Jennifer Lewis interviewed on BBC

We were thrilled to see IBMA Executive Director, Jennifer Lewis, interviewed on BBC World’s World Business Report this morning about the importance of biocontrol.This weekend, EU Agricultural Ministers are set to have an informal meeting in Cordoba, Spain, which will include discussion on the Sustainable Use Regulation (SUR).IBMA, as many others, call on Agricultural Ministers to […]

Nominees

This year, we received 37 applications across all the different categories. The extent and scope of the applications was impressive and reflects the growth and development of the biocontrol industry. We thank all participants for their valuable submissions. The winners will be announced at ABIM on October 23rd, 2023. Nominees are displayed in alphabetical order. […]