Regulatory Reform for Biopesticides in the U.K.: Balancing Innovation with Safety

As the United Kingdom attempts to uncover benefits from Brexit, regulatory reform for various industries has become a critical topic of discussion. One area that demands careful consideration is the regulation of pesticides and, in particular, biopesticides. These crop protection products, which may be microorganisms (or constituents thereof), or derivatives from natural materials like plants and certain minerals (the precise definition of a ‘biopesticide’ varies considerably depending upon whom you’re speaking to, see (2020) IBMA leaflet ‘Definition bioprotection as the global term for all biocontrol strategies’ link at the end of this article), are increasingly seen as an acceptable alternative to conventional chemical pesticides.