Cultivating Tomorrow: How Biologicals Are Redefining Farming
A Conversation Between Christopher P. Skroupa, Skytop Editor-in-Chief, and Matthew Pickard, Head of Biologicals and Seedcare Europe, Syngenta / September 9, 2025
Written by: John S. Wilson
As Europe accelerates its shift toward sustainable agriculture, biological crop solutions are gaining traction—but not without challenges. In this wide-ranging conversation, Matthew Pickard of Syngenta unpacks the scientific, regulatory, and operational dynamics shaping the future of farming. From billion-dollar R&D investments to AI-powered agronomy, their insights reveal a sector in transformation.
Christopher Skroupa: Let’s start with the big picture. What’s driving the push toward biologicals in agriculture?
Matthew Pickard: Europe is leading the global shift toward more sustainable products, driven largely by public perception that crops treated with biologicals are better for human health and the environment. Some of that is true, but the science needs to support it. The new regulatory framework is also reducing the availability of conventional chemicals, so farmers are facing a toolbox challenge—they’re looking to companies like ours for innovation.
Skroupa: What’s Syngenta’s approach to solving this?
Pickard: At Syngenta, our bread and butter is R&D. We invest $1.4 billion annually, and a growing portion of that goes into biologicals—either derived from or inspired by nature. We’ve structured our efforts around three key problem areas for growers:
Biocontrols: Targeting pests and diseases with nature-inspired solutions.
Bio stimulants: Helping plants manage environmental stress like drought or heat, enhance soil health, crop yield and quality.
Nutrient Use Efficiency; Improve nutrient availability and uptake to promote growth, increase resilience or enhance yield
Skroupa: What’s holding back adoption?
Pickard: Biologicals sound great to the public, but sometimes they could be perceived as less robust than synthetic chemicals. They could degrade quickly in harsh conditions, rain, heat, cold, which makes them harder to rely on solely. That’s why adoption has been slow. We’re working to change that by improving efficacy and reliability. And we’re also building the image of biologicals. It’s not just about the science—it’s about helping farmers trust that these products will work in the field.
Skroupa: You mentioned data and AI. How does that fit into your strategy?
Pickard: Data is becoming the new tractor. We’re using analytics to predict stress events—cold snaps, droughts, pest outbreaks—and guide farmers on when and where to apply biologicals. It’s about augmenting human decision-making, not replacing it. A field agronomist with AI is smarter than one without.
Skroupa: Let’s talk regulation. What’s the bottleneck?
Pickard: Europe’s approval process for biologicals tends to be much slower —8 to 10 years, compared to 3 in Brazil or the U.S. That’s limiting innovation. We’re advocating for a risk-based approach: if a product is low-risk to humans and the environment, let’s accelerate its path to market.
Skroupa: How does this affect farmers?
Pickard: Farmers are seeing less availability of conventional chemicals before biological alternatives are approved. That creates a gap. If we don’t fix this, farmers will either protest or stop farming. We need to move fast—but stay safe.
Skroupa: Final thoughts—how do you see innovation being adopted?
Pickard: Farmers innovate every year, but selectively. We work with them to trial new solutions, scale them up, and adjust based on real-world feedback. Innovation has to be felt, held, and understood in the field.
Skroupa: And the role of biologicals in de-risking?
Pickard: Biology offers farmers more choice and flexibility to grow their crops more efficiently and more sustainably. In addition, biologicals are a key asset when it comes to the adoption of regenerative farming practices.
We’re focused on helping farmers make better decisions—when to use a biological, when to use a chemical, and when to use nothing.