What Is Cinnerate? A 25(b) Exempt Fungicide & IPM Tool for Growers

What Is Cinnerate? A 25(b) Exempt Fungicide & IPM Tool for Growers

I was once in a conversation with a technical services expert from an organic chemical company. He asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks:

“Why is Cinnerate sold as a miticide, insecticide, and fungicide?”

He went on to suggest that we would be better off selling separate products — one Cinnerate as a fungicide and another as a miticide — so growers would need to purchase two products instead of one.

I grew up on a small farm. I’ve watched farmers struggle through downturns, tight margins, and unpredictable seasons. That suggestion struck me as cruel, selfish, and overly greedy. Selling two products to the same farm simply to increase profits goes against everything we believe in.

I’ve also heard the saying: “If it’s an insecticide and a fungicide, it probably won’t be very good at either.”
That may be true for some products — but it’s not true for Cinnerate.

Cinnerate is a highly effective fungicide and an excellent tool for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with minimal impact on beneficial insects — including beneficial mites. At a standard rate of 32 oz per 100 gallons, it provides strong disease suppression and background pest control. When increased to 64 oz per 100 gallons, it delivers a powerful knockdown on aphids, mites, and many other insect pests, while still remaining relatively compatible with IPM programs.

Why Does Cinnerate Have a Reduced Effect on Beneficial Insects?

Cinnerate’s selectivity comes down to biology, behavior, and chemistry.

  1. Beneficial mites behave differently.
    At night and in the early morning, beneficial mites retreat into protected areas like domatia, vein axils, and leaf shelters where spray contact is less likely.

  2. Plant-parasitic mites are more exposed.
    Pest mites are far less likely to seek shelter and tend to remain on exposed leaf surfaces, making them more vulnerable to contact.

  3. Low persistence and high repellency.
    Cinnerate works on contact and dissipates quickly. This combination reduces long-term exposure for beneficial insects while effectively controlling pests.

A Gentle but Powerful Tool

Cinnerate is an exceptional background pest and disease control product. Compared to horticultural oils, sulfur, or potassium bicarbonate, it is:

  • Gentler on plant tissue

  • Broad-spectrum against disease and insects

  • Compatible with IPM systems

Cinnerate is even being evaluated for nematode control, with the potential to reduce or replace fumigation practices.

At its core, Cinnerate functions as a fungicide — and that is precisely why it excels in IPM. The best way to manage pests is to prevent crop stress before pests ever gain a foothold. By controlling early-season diseases like powdery mildew, downy mildew, and botrytis, and by reducing low-level populations of mites and aphids early, Cinnerate helps crops stay resilient and productive.

What Does “25(B) Exempt” Mean?

Cinnerate is a Section 25(B) exempt pesticide under FIFRA (the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act). Products in this category are allowed because they are made from ingredients that pose minimal risk to human health and the environment when used as directed.

25(B) pesticides must meet strict criteria:

  • Natural ingredients:
    Typically food-grade substances such as plant extracts and essential oils.

  • Exemption from EPA registration:
    These products do not require the lengthy and costly federal registration process.

  • EPA qualification standards:

    • Active ingredients must come from the EPA’s approved list of minimum-risk substances.

    • All inert ingredients must also meet minimal-risk classifications.

Why Cinnamon Oil — and Why It Matters

The cinnamon oil used in Cinnerate is highly refined to ensure consistency — both in performance and in crop safety.

Cinnerate’s mode of action is fundamentally different from other organic tools:

  • It is not a mechanical suffocation like horticultural oils

  • It is not an oxidative burn like hydrogen peroxide or PAA

  • It is not a pH disruption like baking soda or potassium bicarbonate

Each of those tools has drawbacks:

  • Oils can suffocate plant tissue

  • Peroxides can oxidize leaves, causing yellowing or margin burn

  • Bicarbonates raise leaf pH beyond its natural range

These approaches have been shown to reduce plant health over time.
Cinnerate, by contrast, has consistently shown plant-health-supportive effects when used correctly.

Yes, at excessively high rates on highly sensitive crops — particularly certain nightshade varieties like tomatoes or potatoes — minor leaf burn is possible. However, at the standard 32 oz per 100 gallons, damage does not occur unless applications are made during extreme heat, when even water alone can cause leaf injury.

More Than a Product

Cinnerate is more than the scent of cinnamon in a spray tank. It is a thoughtfully designed, farmer-first solution — a single product that manages disease and insects while aligning with the principles of sustainability, safety, and integrity.

It’s safe enough to apply and harvest the same day.
It’s effective enough to be the backbone of an IPM program.
And it’s a spray you can feel good about using — on your crops and around your family.

That’s what Cinnerate is.
And that’s why we're proud to make it available to you.

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