About Certis USA
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of biopesticides and traditional chemistry pesticides that fill specialty niches in the agricultural and horticultural markets. Many of our products feature novel active ingredients, and all are practical tools that fit within Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. Our product line includes microbial pesticides (Bts, fungi and baculoviruses), botanical pesticides and soil fumigants. Headquartered in Columbia, MD, Certis USA generates $40 million in sales, has approximately 70 employees in the U.S. and operates production facilities in Wasco, CA.
Our Roots are in Biopesticides
Certis USA traces its roots to some of the early leaders in the development and marketing of biological and botanical pesticides, beginning with the formation of Grace Biopesticides (a division of W.R. Grace) in 1994. It was as Grace Biopesticides that the value and benefits of neem-based pesticides and the discovery of Trilogy® biofungicide was made in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Thermo Ecotek, a subsidiary of Thermo Electron, then purchased assets of the Grace Division in May 1996 to form Thermo Trilogy Corporation. As Thermo Trilogy, the company identified specialty and niche markets that were ideally suited for biopesticide products. In January 1997, Thermo Trilogy acquired the assets of Biosys, Inc., its competitor in neem-based products and an innovator in beneficial viruses and nematodes. In November 1997, Thermo Trilogy acquired the Novartis product line of sprayable Bt products. Then, through the purchase of Thermo Trilogy Corporation assets in 2001, Mitsui & Co. launched Certis USA, LLC as an operating company.
Biopesticides: Powerful, Potent and Environmentally Friendly
The crop protection industry worldwide places an increased emphasis on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and sustainable agriculture. With biopesticide products that perfectly fit these management approaches, Certis USA plays a vital role in the adoption of environmentally friendly pest control practices.
Nature produces some of the most effective pest control and crop protection compounds on Earth. The Earth’s biological systems—plants, animals, microbes—have developed ingenious ways to protect themselves from pests and diseases that threaten their survival. For example, the neem tree produces compounds to protect itself from insect attack. Researchers discovered that those compounds, when properly formulated and produced in commercial quantities, can become efficacious low-risk pesticides. Companies throughout the world have researched and harnessed these “hidden” powers of nature to develop a new crop protection industry referred to as the “biopesticide industry.” Today these companies in aggregate represent an estimated $250 million industry which is projected to grow at a rate faster than conventional crop protection products. This relatively new industry has attracted the attention of global companies that wish to access and further develop the technology. With the backing of Mitsui & Co., Certis has become one of the largest providers of biopesticide products.
We Help Make Organic Farming Possible
Many of our Certis USA products are certified for organic use and most are exempt from tolerance requirements by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with no pre-harvest intervals and minimal re-entry limits.
Certis USA Has Traditional Chemistries, Too
As insects develop resistance to some pesticides and environmental issues force some products out of the market, all “tools” in the pesticide toolbox become important to growers. Conventional pesticides remain the primary method of crop protection. Through the contacts and resources provided by Mitsui & Co., Certis USA now also features products made from traditional chemistries, such as Basamid® soil fumigant. Basamid has no impact on the ozone, which makes it an ideal alternative to methyl bromide which is currently being phased out worldwide due to its effect on the ozone layer.