CropLife International

What CropLife International does

CropLife International is a global trade association headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, registered as an A.I.S.B.L. (international non-profit association under Belgian law). Founded in 1967 and operating with 11–50 staff, the organization represents six of the world's largest R&D-intensive plant science companies — BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Sumitomo Chemical, and Syngenta — and coordinates a network of 91 national and regional member associations spanning all major agricultural geographies. Its remit covers advocacy for crop protection products (pesticides and agrochemicals), plant biotechnology (GM crops), and plant breeding innovation including genome editing, organized around three stated ambitions: increasing food security, tackling climate change, and protecting biodiversity.

The association's substantive outputs are stewardship programs, advocacy position papers, and standards rather than commercial products. Flagship programs include the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF), Good Agricultural Practices guidance, the Product Launch Stewardship Guideline, and the Food Heroes campaign. It publishes an extensive resource library — including the 2025 "A Practical Guide to Sustainable Agricultural Growth" produced with NTT Data, anti-counterfeiting reports with TRACIT and OECD, the EU Pesticide Renewal Monitor, and the Celiac Peptide Database. Active distribution channels include the croplife.org website and blog, GDPR-compliant newsletters, social media (X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), the annual virtual Festival of Stewardship, and senior-leader speaking engagements at WTO, B20, International Grains Council, and member-government forums.

CropLife International is funded by membership dues from its six R&D member companies and contributions from the 91 member associations. It does not sell commercial products, does not disclose financial results, and operates without parent-company control or external investors. Governance is exercised by a board composed of executives from each member company; as of November 2025, Chuck Magro (CEO of Corteva Agriscience) serves as Chairman and Emily Rees serves as President and CEO.

Name

CropLife International

Legal name

CropLife International A.I.S.B.L.

Website

https://croplife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CropLife International is a Brussels-based global trade association that advocates for crop protection, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding innovation on behalf of six leading R&D plant science companies and a network of 91 national member associations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association Services

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Plant science industry
• Crop protection advocacy
• Agricultural stewardship programs
• Plant biotechnology advocacy
• Regulatory affairs agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: CropLife International is funded by membership dues from its leading R&D member companies (BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Sumitomo Chemical, and Syngenta) and contributions from its global network of 91 member associations.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CropLife International is a global trade association representing the plant science industry. It does not manufacture or sell products directly but advocates for and supports innovation in crop protection, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding through policy advocacy, stewardship programs, regulatory guidance, and intellectual property protection frameworks. Its work is delivered through a global network of 91 member associations spanning all major agricultural regions.

Product overview

CropLife International is a global trade association representing six leading R&D companies in the plant science industry: BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Sumitomo Chemical, and Syngenta. The organization does not manufacture or sell products directly but advocates for and supports innovation in agriculture through its network of 91 member associations worldwide. Its core offerings span crop protection products (pesticides), plant biotechnology (GM crops), and plant breeding innovation including genome editing. The association provides stewardship programs such as the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF), Good Agricultural Practices guidance, and the Product Launch Stewardship Guideline. Additional initiatives include the Food Heroes Campaign, anti-counterfeiting programs, intellectual property advocacy, and regulatory integrity support. Key publications include the Practical Guide to Sustainable Agricultural Growth and the Celiac Peptide Database. The organization focuses on three strategic ambitions: increasing food security, tackling climate change, and protecting biodiversity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Food Heroes Campaign: A campaign showcasing success stories and best practices from farmers around the world, highlighting innovative solutions contributing to sector growth.
• A Practical Guide to Sustainable Agricultural Growth
• Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF)

Products and services

• Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF) A stewardship program focused on promoting the responsible use of crop protection products throughout their lifecycle, including training for farmers in integrated pest management (IPM) and safe pesticide use, delivered to member companies, national associations, and the agricultural community.
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guidelines and training programs promoting responsible pesticide use, integrated pest management, and safe agricultural practices across the supply chain, offered to member companies, national associations, and farmers.
• Regulatory Integrity Advocacy Advocacy and support for science-based regulatory systems for crop protection, plant biotechnology, and plant breeding innovations to ensure safe and effective agricultural tools reach farmers, delivered to member companies and policymakers.
• Anti-Counterfeiting Program Collaborative efforts with Interpol, Europol, World Customs Organization, and other agencies to combat counterfeit and illegal pesticides and seeds, protecting farmers, legitimate industry, and the environment.
• Intellectual Property Frameworks in Agriculture Advocacy and guidance on IP protection systems including plant variety protection, patents, trade secrets, and licensing that support agricultural innovation and farmer access to technologies, delivered to policymakers, member companies, and the public through a 24-part educational video series.
• Product Launch Stewardship Guideline A guidance document outlining best practices for responsible product introduction in agriculture, emphasizing safety, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship for bringing new technologies to market, used by member companies and industry stakeholders.
• Food Heroes Campaign A global campaign featuring farmer profiles and success stories from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, and other countries, showcasing innovative agricultural practices and technologies.
• A Practical Guide to Sustainable Agricultural Growth A comprehensive global report showcasing real-world examples of sustainable farming practices, including case studies on land productivity, soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity from Brazil, India, Kenya, and other countries, produced in collaboration with NTT Data.

Quantifiable outcome

• FAO estimates 20-40% of global crop production is lost to pests annually; crop protection use is vital for preventing food loss
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International is a proud supporter of the Coalition of Action 4 Soil Health (CA4SH), working with member states, research institutions, civil society, farmers, NGOs, and the private sector to facilitate scaling and adoption of soil health improvement practices globally.
• REACT (Anti Counterfeiting Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International is a member of REACT, an Anti Counterfeiting Network, collaborating on efforts to combat counterfeit and illegal pesticides globally through law enforcement partnerships and supply chain integrity initiatives.
• OECD Task Force on Charting Illicit TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International participates in the OECD Task Force on Charting Illicit Trade, contributing expertise on illegal pesticide trade issues and collaborating on policy responses with OECD member governments.
• INTA (International Trademarks Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International is a member of INTA, contributing to trademark protection efforts that support anti-counterfeiting initiatives in the agricultural sector.
• TRACIT (Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International is an Alliance Partner of TRACIT, collaborating on initiatives to tackle the sale of illicit pesticides on e-commerce platforms and strengthen supply chain integrity. CropLife contributed to the TRACIT report 'Tackling the sale of illicit pesticides on e-commerce platforms: Risks, challenges and solutions' (2025).
• Interpol and EuropolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International collaborates with Interpol, Europol, the World Customs Organization, and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) on anti-counterfeiting efforts targeting illegal pesticides globally.
• World Customs OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International partners with the World Customs Organization to combat counterfeiting of plant protection products through border enforcement and customs capacity building.
• BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Sumitomo Chemical, SyngentacoreOthersCropLife International represents the world's six leading R&D plant science companies (BASF, Bayer Crop Science, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Sumitomo Chemical, and Syngenta) which fund the association and drive its advocacy agenda. These member companies are engaged in developing seeds, crop protection products, and digital agriculture solutions.
• 91 Global Member AssociationscoreOthersCropLife International's global network comprises 91 national and regional member associations including CropLife Africa Middle East, CropLife America, CropLife Asia, CropLife Brasil, CropLife Canada, CropLife Europe, CropLife Japan, CropLife Latin America, ArgenBio, ASTA, and CBI Japan, which implement stewardship, regulatory, and advocacy activities locally.
• WTO Member GovernmentscoreOthersAt the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, CropLife International called on WTO Member Governments to uphold rules-based trade principles, science-based trade standards including Codex Alimentarius, and safeguard intellectual property rights under the TRIPS Agreement.
• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)minorOthersCropLife International engages with international standard-setting bodies including the IPPC in the context of facilitating trade and harmonizing phytosanitary measures for agricultural commodities.
• NTT DataminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCropLife International collaborated with NTT Data on the 2025 'A Practical Guide to Sustainable Agricultural Growth' report, combining NTT Data's digital and data expertise with CropLife's agricultural knowledge to produce case studies on sustainable farming practices from around the world.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CropLife America: U.S. national affiliate of CropLife International representing the plant science industry in the United States; directly comparable as a sister trade association under the same federated model with shared member companies and stewardship mandate.
• CropLife Europe: European regional affiliate of CropLife International representing crop protection and digital agriculture in the EU; directly comparable as a sister trade association advocating for plant science under the same global network.
• International Seed Federation (ISF): Global trade association for the seed industry; directly comparable as a peer international federation representing plant science (seed and breeding innovation) and engaging in IP, trade, and biodiversity advocacy.
• International Fertilizer Association (IFA): Global trade association for the fertilizer industry; comparable as a peer international federation addressing plant nutrition, sustainability, and policy engagement in agriculture.
• Animal Health Institute (AHI): U.S. trade association representing animal health and crop science manufacturers; comparable as a peer industry trade association model funded by member dues and focused on regulatory advocacy.

Regional players

• CropLife Asia: Regional affiliate covering Asia; comparable as a sister trade association under the CropLife federated model, focused on Asia-specific stewardship and regulatory advocacy.
• CropLife Africa Middle East: Regional affiliate for Africa and the Middle East; directly comparable as a sister CropLife association delivering IPM training, anti-counterfeiting, and stewardship programs in emerging agricultural markets.
• CropLife Latin America: Regional affiliate representing the plant science industry across Latin America; comparable as a CropLife network peer delivering regulatory advocacy and farmer training in the region.
• Euroseeds: European seed and plant breeding trade association; comparable as a peer European plant-science industry association focused on seed trade, plant breeding innovation, and EU regulatory engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO): Large U.S.-based trade association covering biotechnology across health, agricultural, and industrial applications; comparable as a peer advocacy body for biotech innovation including agricultural biotech.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/croplifeintl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CropLifeInt
• Facebookfacebook.com/croplifeintl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/croplife-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/croplife_international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CropLife International