2023-2024 Global Agricultural Policy Comprehensive Review and Trend Analysis

Policies play a crucial role in global agricultural development, running through several key areas and triggering trend change. Recently, AgroPages conducted a systematic review of significant new agricultural policies launched worldwide in 2023-2024, covering pesticides (including biopesticides and biostimulants), genetic technologies, fertilizers, seeds, agricultural products, and the transformative and sustainable development of agriculture.

• Intensified integration of digitalization and precision management. The management of agricultural inputs is experiencing an accelerated digital transformation; industry sectors such as pesticides, fertilizers, and seeds are introducing advanced digital tools to carry out delicacy management covering whole-course traceability, from production to marketing. 

  
  

• Accelerated transformation towards environment-friendly development and sustainability: Environmental impact regulation becomes stricter; the use of chemical substances is more strictly restricted; promotion of eco-friendly products and digital labels becomes a growing trend. 

  
  

• Biopesticide and biostimulant regulatory frameworks are constantly improving. As their market acceptance increases, more countries are beginning to establish specialized registration and administration systems. 

  
  

• A major change in biotechnology regulation: The developed economies represented by the European Union are beginning to relax control of new biotechnologies such as gene editing. At the same time, some emerging countries are open to applications of gene-editing technology. 

  
  

• Global trade protectionism tends to increase: The trade pattern of agricultural products is being reshaped as some countries adjust tariffs on farm products, try to protect the agricultural industry, or stimulate exports to increase international competitiveness. 

1. Pesticide Regulation Policies 

Since 2023, the global pesticide regulation system has been noticeably moving towards scientific, efficient, environment-friendly, and sustainable development. All countries/regions have shown the common trend of enhancement of registration management, optimization of the approval process, strengthening of environmental impact assessment, and the whole process control of pesticide registration and application to be placed under delicacy management. 

China: In November 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs updated and revised five regulations, which were made public for comment, including the Measures for Administration of Pesticide Registration, which was issued in June 2023, aiming to improve the pesticide management system further. The pesticide registration management measures clearly stipulate that the same pesticide label of the same registrant should be only marked with the same trademark. In addition, since 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has taken measures to improve the efficiency of management, such as the imposition of responsibility on pesticide registration applicants and the implementation of the electronic licensing system; the measures have defined clearly the process of ″re-application″ of pesticide registrations which are not approved, and the adoption of classified management and clean-up of pesticide granule products within the specific time limit. 

United States: In 2023, the US EPA issued guidelines to improve the efficiency of ESA analysis of applications for novel conventional pesticidal active ingredients, having established the Vector Expedited Review Voucher Program to incentivize the development of novel pesticides. At the same time, the ESA guidelines for the review of novel outdoor use of registered pesticides were issued to streamline the process of PRIA pesticide application review. In November 2023, the US EPA started to enhance certification of the Restricted Use Pesticide (RUPs) applicators, having raised the capacity requirement and recertification standard. In addition, in 2024, the US EPA finalized its first plan of protection of endangered species, the Herbicide Program, and also promulgated the Vulnerable Species Action Plan to protect species that are "vulnerable" to pesticides. In January 2025, the US EPA launched the MyPest tracking system to provide pesticide registrants with a real-time tracking tool to check on the progress of applications, which is a promotion of intelligent and transparent pesticide management. 

Brazil: In November 2023, the Brazilian Senate passed Bill 1459/2022, which authorizes the centralized processing of pesticide product registration within the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa), setting a new and shorter registration deadline, also addressing the issue of issuance of temporary licenses for product registrations that are not completed on time. Meanwhile, Brazil issued two new pesticide registration regulations – Ordinance No. 02/2023 and No. 03/2023, countersigned by Mapa, Anvisa, and Ibama, aiming to simplify the process of approval of low-risk products, with a 4-year term of approval to optimize the efficiency of the assessment. Moreover, in May 2024, the Brazilian Congress exclusively delegated the responsibility of registration for pesticides, environmental control products, and associated products to Mapa, which is a further optimization of the pesticide registration process. 

European Union: Measures taken in crop protection management since 2023 include the European Commission’s new regulation passed in May 2024 setting a data requirement for the approval of safeners and synergists used in crop protection products, while a comprehensive plan of review of these substances was formulated to ensure their safety and efficacy. In September 2024, the European Commission published a list of safeners and synergists contained in crop protection products that are already registered in member states. It is worth noting that the European Union finally issued a notification in November 2023 announcing the extension of the valid period of the approved herbicide glyphosate for 10 years. 

Argentina: In November 2024, Argentina announced that the registration process for all crop protection products and biological inputs be undertaken in unison on the SIGTrámites platform to streamline the process of registration, which enables self-managed process, online payment, process traceability and shortened time of processing. 

Ukraine: In December 2023, Ukraine issued a notification amending the Regulations on Pesticides and Agrochemicals. The amendment introduces a new requirement for the provision of information that should be indicated on the label of pesticides and agrochemicals.

In addition to the changing pesticide management regulations, since 2023, some countries and regions have banned a variety of pesticidal active ingredients, as shown in the following table: 

In addition to dozens of pesticidal active ingredients banned by various countries or regions, the global regulatory restriction on chlorpyrifos has occurred frequently in the past two years. In June 2023, Colombia revoked registration of chlorpyrifos while rejecting new applications. In the meantime, Nigeria announced a ban on chlorpyrifos. In 2024, the US EPA updated the final status of the cancellation order and the requirement of handling the existing stock of chlorpyrifos of ADAMA, Corteva, Drexel, Loveland, Kaizen, and Gharda, and added other restrictions, which prohibit the sale and distribution of the existing stock of chlorpyrifos products after the specified deadline. In October 2024, Australia also announced the termination of most of the applications of chlorpyrifos for agricultural production and urban pest control. 

In the past two years, the ban and restriction of neonicotinoid pesticides in major agricultural markets around the world have been growing drastically. In April 2023, the European Court of Justice prohibited member states from the temporary use of such kind of banned substances in the treatment of seeds, having terminated emergency authorizations of 3 banned substances: Imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam. In June 2023, the New York State Assembly passed the Birds and Bees Protection Act, prohibiting the sale of neonicotinoid pesticides. Prior to this, the US states of New Jersey and Maine had already banned neonicotinoid pesticides. In March 2024, Ibama of Brazil announced a stop to spraying of thiamethoxam by machinery such as tractors or agricultural aircraft. 

In addition, a number of pesticides are put under control in different manners in different countries, such as the Industrial Restructuring Guidance (2024 Edition) implemented by China in February 2024, which restricts the use of 28 pesticides, including glyphosate, diquat and glufosinate; the registration and production license of high-toxic aluminum phosphide formulations will be revoked in March 2025, and the use of chloropicrin formulations will be restricted. In the United States, new restrictions are added to the applications of dicamba, glufosinate-P, atrazine, and methomyl, requesting the implementation of a lower concentration standard or protection of endangered species. Canada has called off the use of tebuconazole in lawns, while Australia has banned malathion for use in water bodies and larval mosquito control. 

2. Biopesticide and Biostimulant Management Policies

Although global biopesticide and biostimulant management policies have focused differently since 2023, they generally demonstrate a combination of scientific, systematic, and efficient characteristics. Overall, regulatory measures in countries such as Brazil, the United States, and Argentina are primarily focused on whole-course supervision, process simplification, risk-classified management, and digital management.

Brazil: In June 2024, the Brazilian ANVISA issued RDC 876/2024 to simplify the process of post-registration amendment and cancellation of biologics. In December 2024, Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies approved PL658/2021, which allows farm production of biological inputs under appropriate supervision but prohibits the reproduction of commercial products and commercial sale of products for personal use. In the same month, the President of Brazil signed Law No. 15070, which is a comprehensive stipulation of production, commercialization, and regulation of biological inputs, covering production, import and export, the definition of concepts, and the setup of Trepda to ensure a smooth going of the process. 

United States: In December 2024, the US EPA announced a simplified registration review process for several low-risk biopesticides, including methyl mannoside, for which no further review is required, as proposed by the EPA. 

Argentina: In October 2023, SENASA of Argentina updated the registration requirement for biologics through Resolution 1004/2023. In November 2024, Argentina announced that the registration process for all crop protection products and biological inputs, including biological inputs, fertilizers, and pesticide products, would be processed on the SIGTrámites platform. 

India: In December 2024, India amended the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic, or Mixed) Control Order 1985 to amend the addition of biostimulants. The amendment also adds ″live microorganisms″ as a category of biostimulants and has exempted some of the low-risk biostimulants from toxicity testing. 

Pakistan: In January 2024, Pakistan approved its biopesticide registration guideline, which includes a new application form and related information requirements for the registration of biopesticides, in particular regarding the minimum data requirement, registration exemptions, and stipulations on the cases of exemption of active ingredients and formulation products.

3. GMO/Gene Editing Technology Regulatory Evolution 

At present, global GMO/Gene-editing technology has moved into a new stage, and regulatory policies in various countries have shown diversified development trends.

Some countries or regions, such as the European Union and the United States, have made adjustments to the GMO/gene-editing regulatory framework to adapt to the needs of technological innovation and industrial development. For example, in July 2023, the European Commission put on a proposal on NGTs and PRMs, which was initially raised by the Council of the European Union in 2019. The proposal prohibits the authorization of patents for NGTs-modified plants and related materials, genetic information, and processes.

In January 2024, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted through the amendment to the proposal concerning NGTs. In February 2024, the European Parliament formally approved the proposal on NGTs. The Council requires mandatory labeling of NGT plant products and a blanket ban on patenting NGT plants and related technologies. Regulation-oriented negotiations on NGTs have been at a standstill since December 2023 due to concerns about the traceability, labeling, and patenting of gene-edited foods.

In the United States, in May 2024, the US EPA, FDA, and USDA released a joint biotechnology regulation plan that clarifies the responsibilities of each department for regulation. This aims to reduce repeated supervisory work and improve the transparency and efficiency of regulation. In addition, the EPA clearly announced exemptions for two types of gene-edited crops using novel biotechnology, requiring applicants to demonstrate that PIPs are not substantially different in safety from conventionally bred crops. In July 2024, USDA-APHIS circulated a Request for Information (RFI) to invite public comment on options for reducing regulations for modified microbes so as to explore risk-based, non-regulatory standards and mechanisms to provide a framework for future formulation of rules.

China has been progressing steadily with prudential supervision in the development of agricultural GMOs, and it has constantly improved policies and the regulatory system. First of all, the No. 1 Central Government Documents in 2023 and 2024 both proposed acceleration of industrialization of biological breeding as well as a further promotion of expansion of the scope of industrialization, which is a strong policy support to the industrial application of GM crops. Since 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has successively put out specific programs of supervision, review, and labeling, such as the 2023 Work Plan for Supervision of Agricultural GMOs, the Detailed Rules for Evaluation of Gene-Edited Agricultural Plants (Trial), and the Decision on Revision of Measures of Management of GMO Labeling (Draft for Comments). These measures provide strong policy support and a standardized mechanism of management in favor of the GMO industry development. In February 2025, the relevant policies on agricultural GMO experimentation and pilot testing were released.

Countries like Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Ghana have shown a positive attitude towards GMO/gene-editing technology. They have gradually relaxed regulations and begun developing or adjusting the relevant regulatory framework to promote the commercial application of GMOs.

In July 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture of Thailand announced legislation for applications for genome-edited organisms. In August, the new regulation Principle, Method, and Condition for the Certification of Organisms Developed from Genome Editing Technology was released, which is a follow-up and detailed implementation of relevant policies. Singapore has published the Regulatory Framework for the Use of Genome Edited Crops for Food and Animal Feed, which aims at premarket safety assessment of all genome-edited crops and approval of GM food. In December 2024, New Zealand’s Gene Technology Regulation passed the review of parliament, followed by the next step of legislation proceeding. This Regulation proposes classified management of gene-edited products according to level of risk, with exemptions available to low-risk gene-edited products.

Earlier, in 2023, Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority (NBA) published its guidelines on Genome Editing, which guides potential applicants with respect to the application of genome-edited organisms or products. In November 2023, the Costa Rican government amended its agricultural biotechnology regulation through an administrative order to allow the marketing of crops developed using novel genetically modified technologies like gene editing, as genome-edited products are deemed equivalent to conventional crops. Accordingly, the process of application for the use of GM food is simplified. 

On the other side, some countries appear cautious or restrictive of GMO/gene editing technology. For example, in August 2023, the Ukrainian Congress passed the law on regulation of national genetic engineering, genetically modified organisms, and circulation of genetically modified products to ensure food safety, which permanently banned cultivation and distribution of genetically modified corn in Ukraine, while prohibiting cultivation and distribution of genetically modified sugar beet and oil rape for 5 years. In October 2023, Switzerland decided to extend the ban on GMOs for another 2 years. Mexico has extended the ban on the import of genetically modified corn from the United States to 2025, which was initially scheduled to resume in March 2024. 

4. Fertilizer Management Policies

The fertilizer management policies of major countries and regions are as follows:

China: In May 2024, the State Council issued the Decision on Adjusting and Improving Administration of Industrial Product Catalogue Subject to Licensing, which proposes changing the process of approving fertilizer production permits from ″provision of commitment″ to ″grant of license after examination.″ The examination and approval of production permits are undertaken by the competent department in charge of industrial production licensing at the provincial level, which shall not be delegated to lower-level authorities. 

United States: In March 2024, the United States added potash fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer to its Final List of Critical Minerals. 

European Union: In 2024, the European Commission released two new regulations amending the Fertilizing Products Regulation (Regulation-EU 2019/1009), strictly restricting the use of synthetic polymers in fertilizer products. In addition, the European Commission has passed a resolution on digital labeling of fertilizer products, which promotes the use of digital labeling on fertilizer products in the EU, simplifying the supplier labeling requirement while reducing costs to the benefit of manufacturers. 

Brazil: In March 2023, Brazil executed Decree No. 10991 covering the National Fertilizer Program, aiming to increase domestic production, especially nitrogen fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer, as well as promotion of the use of alternative fertilizer technologies to improve sustainability. At the same time, Brazil has increased import tariffs on certain fertilizer products, whilst increased support is provided to domestic fertilizer production to encourage enterprises to carry out technological innovation. 

India: In December 2024, India amended the Fertilizer (Inorganic, Organic, or Compound Fertilizer) Control Order 1985 to enhance the control of fertilizer quality. The revision included optimizing the sampling, analysis, and dispute resolution processes.

Russia: Russia implemented a non-tariff export quota system for nitrogen fertilizer and compound fertilizer in December 2021 to control rising domestic food prices. Since 2023, Russia has twice prolonged the implementation of the fertilizer export quota system. 

Thailand: In 2023, Thailand strengthened its supervision of the import, production, and sales of fertilizers, requiring all imported fertilizers to satisfy Thailand’s quality standards and labeling requirements. Meanwhile, regular inspections are made on domestic fertilizer manufacturers, who are encouraged to develop and produce new fertilizers.

Vietnam: In March 2024, Vietnam established a new national technical and quality standard for fertilizers, which clearly regulates the quality of fertilizers, testing methods, management measures, and the responsibilities of relevant corporations and individuals. In June of the same year, the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance planned to impose a 5% value-added tax on fertilizers. 

5. Seed Management Policies

As regards the seed management policies, in the past two years, almost all countries have strengthened seed quality supervision to ensure seed safety and reliability. On the other side, policy focuses have somewhat shifted to innovation in the seed industry, which includes facilitation of the establishment of seed industry bases, provision of support to the application of new technologies (such as gene editing), and promotion of international cooperation in the seed industry. At the same time, a lot of countries have implemented differentiated policies on seed market access and seed variety management, which have simplified the approval process to stimulate the market while imposing strict restrictions on imported seeds. 

China: In August 2023, China issued a regulatory document on crop seed certification, which clearly says that seed certification should follow the principles of ″unified management, common criteria, government guidance, and market operation,″ demonstrating the formal establishment of China’s unified crop seed certification system. In addition, in January 2024, the National Plan for Development of Nanfan Silicon Valley (2023-2030) was proposed, which aims to build Nanfan Silicon Valley into a national seed industry innovation base, a new drive engine to high-quality development of the seed industry, a significant platform for international cooperation in seed science and technology and a pilot area for deepened reformative development and opening up of the seed industry.

Brazil: In March 2023, a new seed management regulation was implemented, which simplified the approval process for seed production and established specific standards for seed production, packaging and storage, analysis and certification, sales, and applications.

Bangladesh: In August 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh issued a special regulatory order on the amendment to the Bangladesh Seed Rules 2020, permitting private seed dealers to publish and register their proprietary crop varieties in 1 year after being incorporated as a seed dealer, which used to be required to be 5 years. 

Canada: In May 2023, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) published new guidance on regulating the seed industry, stating that gene-edited seeds and plant materials are no longer classified as GMOs and are deemed conventional crops. 

Ethiopia: In May 2023, the Ethiopian Parliament enacted a new seed law, the third revision in the country’s seed regulatory system's history.

Russia: Russia’s 2024 seed import quota restricts the import of seeds of various crops, such as potatoes and wheat. Foreign companies engaged in the seed business in Russia are required to invest in the construction of complete breeding and localized production facilities, and seed companies are required to provide seed production plans to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture on a yearly basis.

South Korea: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) has developed and released the Third Five-Year Plan for Seed Industry Development (2023-2027), proposing major strategies, such as expanding the seed industry's scale, increasing seed exportation, commercializing new breeding technologies, including digital breeding, and concentrated development of competitive key seeds.

Kenya: In 2023, Kenya issued the Seeds and Plant Varieties (Vegetatively Propagated Seeds) Regulation, which aims to improve the quality and diversity of vegetatively propagated seeds. The regulation states that product registration is required for the sale of vegetatively propagated seeds.

6. Trade Policies of Agricultural Products and Agricultural Inputs

It is a common practice for all countries in a certain period to regulate and control the primary domestic agricultural market through trade policies so as to ensure the stability and security of domestic supply, which also includes tariff adjustment in some countries on necessary agrarian inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. For instance, in September 2023, the Russian government decided to implement the flexible export tariff system (rates at 4% to 7%) on a wide range of goods in effect from October 1, 2023, till the end of 2024. In April 2024, Argentina announced a significant reduction of import duties on the herbicidal atrazine, glyphosate, and 2,4-D. In November 2024, the Brazilian GECEX issued a vital resolution to implement the preferential tariff of 3.8% on glyphosate as imported from markets outside Mercosur countries.

Since 2023, anti-dumping investigations and measures taken on pesticides of international trading have taken place a lot. For example, the United States and India have successively initiated anti-dumping investigations or taken anti-dumping measures against pesticides from China, such as glufosinate, 2,4-D, atrazine, and chemicals like resorcinol and MIPA. In the meantime, China is trying to safeguard its industry interest and has launched anti-dumping investigations on pesticide products or intermediates, such as cypermethrin, from India, the United States, and Japan, having continuously imposed anti-dumping duties on the imports of involved products.

To ensure domestic food security, many countries have opted for tariff cuts to increase agricultural imports or to suspend import duties on specific agricultural products. For instance, in June 2023, for the first time in 15 years, India imposed restrictions on trader’s stock of wheat. Meanwhile, India planned to cut down or cancel the 40% tariff on imported wheat. In May 2024, Brazil implemented a zero-import-tax policy on two types of non-parboiled rice and 1 type of polished rice. Also, Bangladesh lifted import duties on rice in October 2024. On the other hand, some countries have increased import tariffs to protect the domestic agricultural industry. For example, at the beginning of 2024, 5 Eastern European countries demanded that the EU impose import duties on Ukrainian agricultural products on the grounds that the import is an unfair competition. In June 2024, the European Union imposed high import duties on grains, oilseeds, and processed products from Russia and Belarus. 

At the same time, some countries reduced or suspended export tariffs to promote the export of agricultural products. For example, in August 2024, Russia reduced its wheat export tariffs for consecutive weeks.

Moreover, some countries have raised export tariffs or imposed export bans on key agricultural products to restrict the export of farm products. For example, India restricted the export of basmati rice and broken rice while imposing a 20% export duty on parboiled rice. In January 2024, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture proposed raising the soybean export duty from 20% to 50%; in September of the same year, Russia increased its corn export tariff tenfold due to a poor harvest.

7. Policies Related to Transition Towards Sustainable Agriculture

Since 2023, many countries and regions around the world have been active in promoting the sustainable and transformative development of agriculture by formulating and revising policies and regulations that cover various aspects of agricultural production, including environmental protection, resource utilization, technological innovation, ecological restoration, and adaptation to climate change.

European Union: In 2023, the European Union began to implement new standard agricultural policies, which aim to promote the development of sustainable agriculture, laying more emphasis on environmental protection and adaptation to climate change. In April 2024, the European Parliament initiated a draft EU soil protection law. In November 2024, the Council of the European Union approved the establishment of the first EU-level framework for certification of permanent carbon dioxide removal, low-carbon agriculture, and product carbon storage to promote high-quality carbon dioxide removal and reduce soil emissions, with the purpose of boosting the EU’s achievement of the objective of carbon neutrality by 2025. 

China: In January 2024, China’s first regenerative farming management group standard, the Regenerative Farming Practices—Crop Planting, was released. This standard sets specific specifications for improving soil health, restoring biodiversity, efficiently using water resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, upgrading the value chain, and improving the management system.

United Kingdom: In March 2024, the United Kingdom released the Agricultural Transition Plan (2024 Revision), specifying the future development goals of British agriculture. 

Besides, international organizations have contributed to the transition towards sustainable agriculture, such as the Food and Agriculture for Sustainable Transformation Initiative FAST), as launched by the United Nations in 2023. In addition, the OECD’s report of Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032, released after monitoring and evaluating agricultural policies in 54 countries, documented nearly 600 measures taken by the countries to adapt to climate change in agriculture.

This article will be published in the magazine of 2024 Annual Review. Follow this magazine to read more articles/stories.

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