AgroSpheres, Inc., an agricultural biobased solutions developer, is pleased to announce that its proprietary encapsulation technology, AgroSpheres® Microbially-Derived Minicells (also known as the AgriCell), was recently reviewed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), which has determined that it meets the criteria for use under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). AgroSpheres® Microbially-Derived Minicells is now listed in OMRI’s Generic Material Listing for use as an inert ingredient in organic crop pest, weed, and disease control. This product is currently pending review and approval by US EPA. Once that approval is granted, it will be available for use in pesticide products for use in organic and conventional crop production.
OMRI’s mission is to support the growth and trust of the global organic community through expert, independent and transparent verification of input materials, and through education and technical assistance. OMRI provided an independent review of the AgriCell encapsulation technology and concluded that the AgriCell met the very high standards that NOP has created for the organic industry. This significant milestone marks a major step forward in advancing environmentally friendly and efficient agricultural practices.
“Obtaining OMRI listed status demonstrates that AgroSpheres’ encapsulation technology complies with the rigorous standards set by NOP for organic production, providing farmers with a trusted and reliable solution to enhance crop yields while maintaining the integrity of their organic operations,” said Payam Pourtaheri, Chief Executive Officer for AgroSpheres.
Emily Pelton, who represents the Virginia Wine Board on the National Grape Research Alliance and is the founder of the Virginia Wine Research exchange, said: “The Wine Board are proud to be early supporters of the AgroSpheres team because we are always on the lookout for more environmentally friendly ways of doing things and this is what AgroSpheres is all about. We are examining everything we can to avoid using toxic materials for disease management, from good vineyard management practices to breeding disease resistant grape varieties. Sadly, this is not easy, and we have fewer tools for organic production than we would like. Hence, we are very excited that AgroSpheres is going to bring a new tool to the toolbox to help fight grape vine diseases that are good for the environment.”
The encapsulated products will be sold through various distributors after product approvals.
To see the OMRI Listed® certificate for AgroSpheres® Microbially-Derived Minicells, click here.