Transforming the Evaluation of Agrochemicals (TEA) Committee

Mission Statement

The mission of the committee is to establish a map supporting the development of fit-for-purpose safety evaluation for agrochemicals that is applicable to changing global, as well as local, needs for evaluation and regulatory decisions that can incorporate relevant evolving science inputs. See the full project map landscape here.

Join the TEA Global Challenge

A competition designed to solicit CREATIVE and CUTTING-EDGE solutions to the modernization of the risk assessment paradigm for crop protection products.

Working Groups

  • Manuscript Development

    A manuscript titled “Transforming the Evaluation of Agrochemicals: Conceptualizing the Problem Formulation” has been completed, approved by internal review, and is set for submission by the end of 2024. This manuscript presents the conceptual model that underpins the TEA approach, highlighting the essential precepts needed to modernize agrochemical safety evaluations. It also provides a current snapshot of its application through two case studies. The group has now started scoping Manuscripts 3 and 4, which will explore immediate, medium, and long-term opportunities to further transform the evaluation of agrochemicals.

  • NAM Survey

    At the end of 2022, a pilot survey was developed and distributed among industry members to gather information on the New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) commonly used in research and development (R&D) and product registration across different countries, along with their frequency of use. Responses were received throughout 2023.

    In 2024, the survey results were presented to participating companies, shared with the TEA committee, and showcased at ESTIV 2024, providing broader visibility and fostering discussions within the scientific community on NAM usage trends globally.

    A follow-up survey is being considered to improve the accuracy of NAM usage data and to address specific questions, such as the timeline between NAM development and adoption in regulatory submissions. This effort aims to provide a clearer picture of NAM implementation and inform future strategies to enhance agrochemical safety assessment.

  • TEA Global Challenge

    The TEA Committee recognizes the importance of developing case studies to effectively demonstrate the application of the TEA approach and its readiness for implementation. As the primary challenges to adoption are often rooted in adapting established perspectives rather than scientific or technical limitations, illustrating practical applications of current scientific advancements may support broader understanding and integration of the TEA approach.

    To support this goal, the Committee launched the TEA Global Challenge (https://teaglobalchallenge.org/). This competition invites participants to submit case studies that illustrate core concepts of the TEA approach, aiming to showcase innovative solutions for the safety evaluation of plant protection products. Beyond generating practical examples, this effort aims to increase outreach and awareness, encouraging a paradigm shift in agrochemical safety assessment within and beyond the TEA Committee.

  • TEA Symposium

    The TEA committee is organizing a Symposium, tentatively scheduled for Q2 of 2025. This 1.5- to 2-day meeting will showcase case studies that illustrate key principles of the TEA conceptual model and serve as a forum for the community of practice—including regulators, industry, and academics—to actively engage, exchange ideas, and share insights.

  • Waiving Dog Studies in Agrochemical Safety Evaluations

    Launched in Fall 2022 in collaboration with HESI’s PBPK Committee, this project is led by the co-managers of the PBPK Committee. Its goal is to develop a science-based waiver framework for the 90-day dog study within the context of agrochemical safety assessment. In the first phase, existing dog data, collected as a second species, are being compared with rat data. This analysis, conducted by the U.S. EPA, is ongoing, and its results will guide the planning of future project phases.

  • Past Working Groups

    Conceptual Model Development: Based on problem formulation and problem exploration exercises conducted in 2021, a conceptual model was developed. The model is being used as a guide to the project to help prioritize the work.

    Review of the Regulatory Guideline: Regulatory agencies from Australia, Canada, Europe, and the US assessed the use of various test guidelines in the context of agrochemical safety assessment to inform the frequency of use of various guidelines. The goal was to better understand why some tests are used more than others, what valuable information is obtained from these tests, and whether some of the most routinely used data could be obtained using new methods.

HESI Staff

Leadership Team

  • Gina Hilton, PhD

    PETA International Science Consortium

  • John Doe, PhD

    Liverpool John Moores University

  • Marco Corvaro, PhD

    Corteva Agriscience

  • Rhian Cope, PhD, DABT, DABVT, FACTRA

    Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

  • Richard Currie, PhD

    Syngenta

Committee Events

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Committee Publications

Transforming the Evaluation of Agrochemicals

This article summarizes the challenges associated with the modernization of agrochemical safety evaluation, proposes a potential roadmap, and seeks input and engagement from the broader community to advance this effort.

Read more

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    [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => c05967000f29e240bf583a135de4f7a0
    [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => 
    [thumbnails_cached] => 
    [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => 
    [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => 
    [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array
        (
            [0] => query_vars_hash
            [1] => query_vars_changed
        )

    [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array
        (
            [0] => init_query_flags
            [1] => parse_tax_query
        )

)

Contact Us

Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI)

hesi@hesiglobal.org
Phone: +1-202-659-8404
Fax: +1-202-659-8403

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