by Peter Wren-Hilton | Nov 17, 2025 | Platform10
The Tauranga-based office will complement the work being undertaken at the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) in Salinas, California. Whilst WGCIT will continue to focus on Platform10’s field trials program in the US, the New Zealand office will focus on supporting Platform10’s key activity across ‘The Rest of the World’. It’s no small task, but the additional resources that will be recruited in Q1 & Q2, 2026, will enable us to meet the increased demand we are experiencing from across the globe.
Last Wednesday, Wharf42 & Priority One hosted a networking breakfast with some key stakeholders from across the Tauranga / Bay of Plenty region. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be socializing the opportunity with a wider network of grower, industry and research organizations across New Zealand as we prepare for the next chapter of Platform10’s global expansion.
It takes a village to raise a child, and we therefore look forward to working with colleagues and partners across both New Zealand & Australia as we build the network. Our southern hemisphere location supports grower-led field trials in the northern hemisphere by offering counter-seasonal opportunities to accelerate both research activity and the commercial development / deployment of new biocontrols to support growers everywhere.
As we build out our program of activity and identify strategic global objectives, I look forward to providing further updates about Platform10’s new global office and its remit over the coming weeks.
Learn more about Platform10 at www.platform10.ag
by admin | Nov 1, 2025 | Platform10
Last week, I joined 2,000+ delegates for Day 3 of the ABIM 2025 Conference in Basel, Switzerland. It was an awesome 72 hours.
The conference provided me with an in-depth understanding of the landscape for European biocontrol. Whilst the regulatory environment is challenging, the depth of innovation I viewed is staggering. Over 170 exhibitors provided a vast array of biological solutions based on significant science and research input. Evidence that the sector is maturing rapidly.
ABIM also provided me with the opportunity to present Platform10 to conference delegates. I’m still processing the feedback.
I had the pleasure of sharing the Platform10 opportunity with key stakeholders in the European biocontrol market. The challenges that growers face here are similar in nature to many that I experience across the world.
Viewing ‘Europe’ as a single entity might be appropriate in a political context, but not one that applies across agriculture. The opportunities and challenges facing growers in Finland are very different to those facing growers in Spain or Greece. Recognizing those differences has been a key part of my learning.
So, what are the next steps? In the US, Platform10 signed a significant partnership agreement in June with the Biological Products Industry Alliance. As North America’s leading biological industry group, this agreement provides Platform10 with significant technical and logistical support as we build on the first set of field trials in California. In Europe, we have identified a similar partnership opportunity which will bring significant support as we scope out our first European field trials in 2026. I’ll be sharing more details about this over the coming weeks.
Thanks to the team at ABIM and IBMA who made me so welcome in Basel. The week provided a significant platform from which to build. We look forward to making it happen!
by admin | Apr 7, 2025 | Platform10
Wharf42 & Platform10 were delighted to attend and exhibit at last week’s BPIA Annual Meeting in Sacramento.
As well as exhibiting at the event, the BPIA Board hosted a ‘Platform10 Grower Partnership Initiative: Strengthening Industry Collaboration’ breakout session. At the standing room only session, delegates shared views as to how BPIA and its members could in the words of the Board – recruit experts who will be part of a governance team to provide guidance to the strategic development, management, and oversight of this multi-year initiative.
With an existing commitment already secured to support grower-led field trials in California, BPIA’s commitment to support Platform10’s US operations is significant. With a membership that spans the whole breadth of the Biological Products Industry in the US, it is helping create a ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to support growers as they face increasing regulatory and consumer pressures for ‘more biologicals, less chemistry’.
Wharf42 and Platform10 are grateful for the support of the BPIA Board in helping build this significant industry initiative.
by Peter Wren-Hilton | Jun 6, 2024 | Platform10
I was delighted to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research last week. Below is a copy of the Media Release that was published to support the signing.
Plant & Food Research has joined a global initiative looking at finding new ways to control plant pests and diseases.
The Platform10 initiative is an international collaboration that aims to speed up the development of new biological control products for protecting crops against pests and diseases. Plant & Food Research has joined the collaboration, which aims to conduct trials in New Zealand and Australia.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Plant & Food Research CEO Mark Piper and Peter Wren-Hilton of Wharf42 on behalf of Platform 10.
“Platform 10 was formed to help give growers confidence in adopting new biological alternatives to pest and disease control as global regulations around pesticide use tighten,” says Peter Wren-Hilton. “By providing a mechanism for growers to engage at the research phase, through field trials, we hope to increase understanding and uptake of these new biological products. Plant & Food Research has a strong track record in developing biocontrols and taking them through to the commercialisation phase, so were the ideal partner for us in New Zealand, working in the counter season to our trials in the USA.”
“Growers and marketers are increasingly looking for new ways to manage insect pests and diseases on their land that are more environmentally sustainable,” says Miriam Hall from Plant & Food Research. “We’re excited to be working with Platform10 to support validation of new products at the research stage and help growers understand how they can transition to new management protocols that incorporate biological controls into their crop management.”
Platform10 emerged from the 2023 Salinas Biological Summit where it became apparent that a global framework to accelerate promising biopesticide companies, rigorously assess products, enhance grower confidence, and facilitate market development and adoption was required. Launched in California in November 2023, Platform10 was established to bring growers to the centre of the innovation ecosystem. Platform10 will provide other key stakeholder groups within the specialty crop sector with the opportunity of learning about these problems and challenges at first hand.
by Peter Wren-Hilton | Feb 20, 2024 | Platform10, Uncategorized
Yesterday, Wharf42 was pleased to host the first Platform10 Global Partner Network review in Perth, Western Australia.
On the eve of the 2024 evokeAG conference, we were delighted to be joined by Dennis Donohue & Jeana Cadby of Western Growers, together with biologicals doyen, Pam Marrone. We were also delighted to be joined by a stellar group of invited stakeholders from both Australia & New Zealand. Their time, inputs and observations were very much appreciated.
The session kicked off with a live ZOOM presentation by California Department of Food & Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross. Karen is an awesome supporter of Platform10 and we really appreciated her spending part of her Sunday evening with the group in Perth. The joys of time-zones! Pam Maronne then provided an insightful 15 minute presentation covering some of the most significant current trends in the world of biologicals. It was fascinating to see so many moving parts and the significant role that Platform10 had to play.
It was then the turn of Dennis & Jeana to provide an overview of the Platform10 model. This included an update on the recent recruitment of 10 biopesticide companies and growers to the first US-based Platform10 cohort. This provided something of a template for future international engagement.
Following a short break, the delegates attending then provided their own thoughts and insights around the development of the Global Partner Network. These included important contributions around:
- the efficacy and importance of robust field trials
- the recruitment of an International Advisory Board
- the recognition of the need to engage growers, their advisors and regulators in the process
- the opportunity to leverage existing programs in Australia and New Zealand that support investigating alternative inputs
With plans for the launch of the Platform10 Global Partner Network slated for the 2024 Salinas Biological Summit (25-26 June), the contributions made at the session were invaluable. We’ll be maintaining the engagements started today to ensure that the vision and purpose of the Network is realised in Salinas.
It was a great start to what will be an epic two days of conversations and networking at evokeAG.
by Peter Wren-Hilton | Feb 2, 2024 | Platform10
I’m delighted that myself, representing Wharf42, and Dennis Donohue, Director, Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology have recorded our first 5 episodes of ‘The Grower Talks’ podcast series.
The podcast series is an important element of the Platform10 initiative. It has been designed to provide insights into the ‘less chemistry. more biologicals’ discussion which is currently taking place amongst growers everywhere. As regulators and consumers globally are driving this change, it’s important that the grower stays at the centre of the conversation. That’s the aim of ‘The Grower Talks’ podcast.
To-date, we have interviewed five awesome guests;
- CDFA Secretary Karen Ross
- Pam Marrone
- Carl Casale
- Don Cameron
- Josette Lewis
Recorded live in the Salinas studio, you can view them via YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcast. And you can view them all here, right now! Platform 10 | The Global Specialty Crop Biological Platform
We are adding new podcasts every 10-14 days to this asset library. If you are looking to learn more about the conversation and the key role that growers will have to adopt these new inputs, it’s one page you should bookmark.
