The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 13 letter word AGROCHEMICALS
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "those that defend veggies" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case those that defend veggies = agrochemicals.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
AGROCHEMICALS noun- A chemical compound, such as a hormone, fungicide, or insecticide, that improves the production of crops.
- A compound or product derived from farmed plants.