Duration: 10/01/2010 to 09/30/2015

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

NRSP-4's (the activities of NRSP-4 are known throughout the land grant university and agriculture communities as IR-4. NRSP-4 and IR-4 are used interchangeably in this document) main role is to facilitate research activities throughout the United States to support registration of safe and effective chemical and biological pesticides regulated by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for specialty crops and other low volume, minor uses. The NRSP funding supports the administration and coordination of the program, but it does not support the extensive research activities directly at the numerous research farms and laboratories at state agricultural experiment stations (SAES) or USDA-Agriculture Research Service (ARS) facilities.

The NRSP-4 funding has been historically assigned by the IR-4 Administrative Advisors and the IR-4 Project Management Committee to IR-4 Headquarters to offset this unit's personnel costs. It currently accounts for a significant amount (> 80%) of IR-4 Headquarters Management Team's (Executive Director, Associate Director, and Assistant Directors) salaries The NRSP-4 funding is very significant for the operations of IR-4 Headquarters which has a critical role in the overall coordination and management of the national IR-4 Project. This support is also important as an indication of the continuing commitment from the land grant university system and the Directors of the SAES to this unique and very effective partnership with the federal government, the states, the crop protection industry and growers of specialty crops that impacts every state, region and US territory.

The overwhelming majority of research activities are funded by other public and private sector sources. IR-4 leadership, in cooperation with support from stakeholders, has been very successful in leveraging the NRSP funds with funds from other sources, including resources through National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA -formally known as USDA Cooperative Research Education and Extension Service or CSREES), ARS, USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) and from the crop protection industry and commodity organizations. In 2009 the $481,152 provided through NRSP was leveraged and assisted in NRSP-4 receiving nearly $17.5 million dollars of direct funds from USDA and other sources
NRSP-4 continues to perform a critical role in facilitating the registration and label expansion of pest control products for high value specialty uses on food and ornamental crops at a time of rapid change, including the worldwide consolidation and refocusing of the crop protection industry, limited profitability for growers, strong foreign competition, and uncertainty due to regulatory action against many standard pest management tools. The future viability of high value specialty crop production throughout the US is highly dependent on continuing substantial support for NRSP-4 to provide growers with the pest management products to safely manage the pests that deleteriously effect productivity and economic value of agricultural crops.

Prerequisite Criteria

How is the NRSP consistent with the mission?

How does the NRSP pertain to a national issue?

NRSP-4 under the predecessor name of Interregional Research Project Number Four (IR-4) was established in 1963 by the Directors of the SAES because of the "Minor Use Problem". The Minor Use Problem is universal throughout the US; the cost of data development to support a chemical or biological pesticide registration for a specialty crop or minor use of a pesticide is expensive and the potential return on investment from sales of a pesticide on low acreage specialty crops or minor uses is very small. There is very limited economic justification for the chemical or biological pesticide companies to invest their resources in supporting registrations in these markets of limited profitability.

Having adequate pesticide products to manage pests in specialty crops is critically important. Specialty crops are fruits, vegetables, herbs and nuts that nutritionists recommend as being essential for a balanced and healthy diet or the ornamental crops which enrich our environment. There are well over 600 food and feed crops in the US that can be classified as specialty. All ornamental crops are "minor". The total value of these crops in the U.S. is approximately $49.6 billion, which represents 34 percent of the total value of all crops (2007 Census of Agriculture). The economic importance of these crops varies widely among the states. In ten states (AZ, CA, FL, MI, NC, NY, OR, PA, TX & WA) sales of specialty crops exceed one billion dollars annually. In the Northeast region, the sales of specialty crops are greater than 50% of the total crop sales in all states and exceed 75% in most. Damage to these specialty crops can have devastating impacts on local and regional economies.

The Minor Use Problem extends beyond high value specialty crops to major large acreage crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat and others that are grown broadly in numerous states. On major crops, the minor uses need is to manage a pest that is localized, infrequent or sporadic. The low or irregular sales to manage these minor pests result in very limited private sector investment.

Pesticides to manage mosquitoes, ticks and other arthropod pests that transmit disease and pose a threat to public health are also considered minor uses. NRSP-4 has recently expanded its mission and entered into a cooperative project with ARS and the Department of Defense's Armed Forces Pest Management Board to facilitate registration of the newest generation of reduced risk pesticides to control medically important arthropods.

The management of arthropods of medical importance is a priority objective of the US government as well as numerous non-governmental organizations. The need for an organization like IR-4 to provide regulatory support for minor uses of pesticides for public health uses was articulated in the Minor Use Title of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act. Given the IR-4 Project's expertise in data development supporting pesticide registrations, USDA-ARS requested assistance to provide those involved in public health pest management with the newest generation of lower/reduced risk pesticides while effectively controlling pests that transmit human health diseases.

NRSP-4 has considerable expertise and almost 50 years of experience in developing the necessary data to ensure specialty crop growers and users of minor use pesticides throughout the United States have legal access to the chemical and biological pesticides that must be registered by EPA before they can be used. NRSP-4 has been successful, facilitating nearly 12,000 registrations for food crops and 11,000 registrations for ornamental crops. Because pesticide registrations are often national in scope, growers in all states often benefit from the efforts of IR-4.

In spite of the significant progress in facilitating critical registrations for specialty crops and other minor uses, the need for NRSP-4 is even greater today. EPA, under the authority of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) continues to reassess the ability of specific pesticides to meet current safety standards. Significant losses of important uses of older compounds have and will continue to occur for a variety of reasons including cumulative risk, aggregate risk, potential for endocrine disruption, and effects on endangered species or their habitat. EPA has given priority for the registration of Reduced-Risk chemicals to replace the chemicals of concern. These Reduced-Risk chemicals have been the major focus of the NRSP-4 effort since 1995 and are intended to be the thrust of NRSP-4 research efforts now and in the future.

Pest resistance to pesticides continues to be an important issue. Numerous pesticides are no longer controlling their target pest due to evolution of the pest to avoid the toxic effects of the pesticide.

Because of modern safety standards, the associated limitation of use of older products, and the loss of effectiveness due to pest resistance to pesticides, new reduced risk pesticide products are needed to provide options for growers. And just like before, the industry focuses their development efforts on products for major markets. Thus the need for a substantial NRSP-4 effort is predicted to continue for at least the next decade.

In order to accomplish its mission, the NRSP-4 Project engages specialty crop pest management scientists within SAES, USDA and commodity organizations. In every state, NRSP-4 has at least one scientist associated with the SAES to articulate needs and priorities from that respective state as the official IR-4 State Liaison Representative (SLR). Many SAES Directors, to provide better service to their stakeholders, have assigned two SLR's, one for food crops and one to service the ornamental industry.

Many additional scientists are actively engaged with NRSP-4 by articulating needs setting priorities, and conducting research or providing tactical or strategic direction. Over 275 scientists and stakeholders from SAES, extension and industry attend the IR-4 Food Crop and Ornamental Workshops. Some of these same scientists are also involved in conducting NRSP-4 research at the SAES or ARS sites. IR-4 receives about 80 new biopesticide proposals annually from the prominent scientists involved in the development of biopesticides. Many other scientists are involved with NRSP-4 on an as needed basis.

Rationale

Priority Established by ESCOP/ESS

1. Relation to ESCOP/ESS National Priorities
NRSP-4 addresses and supports four of the seven ESCOP Roadmap Challenges. The primary contribution of NRSP-4 is ESCOP Roadmap Challenge 5 - improve competitiveness and profitability/economic return to the producer in agriculture.

Arthropods, plant diseases, weeds and other pests of crop plants continue to reduce both the quality and quantity of domestically produced food and non-food crops. It has been suggested by many that one-third of everything grown is still lost to pest damage. The amount lost in food and revenue would be much higher without the availability of modern pest management technology.

The activities and deliverables of NRSP-4 are critical to the cost of production for high value specialty crop production systems in the US. IR-4 has been extremely successful in facilitating registrations on specialty food and ornamental crops. This is especially true in the last five years when IR-4 has developed data and supported 4,761 new registrations on food crops. Typically, IR-4 developed data supports approximately 50% of the new tolerances established by EPA in a given year. The food crop deliverables achieved in the past five years represent approximately 40% (12,056) of the total IR-4 tolerances established since 1963. Additionally, NRSP-4 data supported 35 registrations impacting over 7,900 ornamental crops in the 2006-2008 period.

The impact of the above efforts on American agriculture can be judged from the fact that, without IR-4, many of the important high value specialty crops in the US would have few, if any, crop protection compounds available for pest management. Not only has IR-4 continued to provide critical tools for growers, but it has also reduced chemical use and grower costs in many cases. Further, in the last 10 years, IR-4 has focused its efforts very strongly on providing safer, reduced-risk chemicals to replace older compounds with undesirable toxicity and environmental impact. Although this contribution to the safety of applicators, consumers, and the environment is hard to measure, it is nevertheless real and growing.

NRSP-4 also contributes to Challenge 4 - improve environmental stewardship. The focus of NRSP-4 on registering reduced risk chemicals and biopesticides for pest management will increasingly improve the safety of agricultural production systems to the environment and pesticide applicators, and will enhance food safety. In a recently published Ph.D dissertation by Faye Regina Aquino Viray of Michigan State University, the author noted, "The use and food residues of individual organophosphate insecticides showed a strong declining trend with an approximately 50% decline overall for the group. The use of carbamate insecticides also declined approximately 70% from 1996 to 2006, but their residue trends were variable and did not clearly correspond to the decline in use. Use of the B2 fungicides declined less (10-20%) and there was no overall decrease in residues for most of these compounds. There was a steady increase in use of reduced-risk (RR) insecticides and fungicides over this time such that they are now central in pest management programs for fruits and vegetables, but the residue data are too limited to establish a trend. In some cases, residue detections were unexpectedly high and greater than those for the older compounds. It was estimated that approximately 50% (33-60%) of the RR pesticides for these food uses were registered by USDA's IR-4 program. Since the RR pesticides are applied at much lower rates than the older compounds, their adoption has resulted in lower levels of chemical use in fruit and vegetable production".

NRSP-4 contributes to at least two other priority areas which include:
1) Develop new and more competitive crops and products (Challenge 1). Without NRSP-4, the introduction of many new crops would not be possible, since they are generally high value specialty crops with few, if any, pest control tools. NRSP-4 has been very successful in integrating new crops into existing crop groups that provide these fledging crops with an instant toolbox of pest management products to protect the crop. For example, NRSP-4 facilitated the addition of gogi berry into the Fruiting Vegetable crop group allowing this newly introduced crop, which has tremendous potential health benefits, access to many of the crop protection products that are registered for tomato and pepper.
2) Enhance food safety and human health (Challenge 7). NRSP-4's participation in efforts to control medically important arthropods is key to preventing outbreaks of vector-transmitted diseases that pose a risk to public health. In this area, NRSP-4 is attempting to facilitate the registration of the newest generation of reduced risk products and biopesticides to manage mosquitoes, ticks and other pests that can transmit human disease.

Relevance to Stakeholders

The primary stakeholders of the research activities of NRSP-4 are the domestic growers of specialty crops and food processors. These primary stakeholders have significant involvement with the operations of NRSP-4. First, all NRSP-4 sponsored research is stakeholder driven. Research is prioritized at the IR-4 sponsored Food and Ornamental Workshops by growers, commodity organizations, and university research and extension specialists who specifically represent grower needs. On an annual basis, approximately 175 stakeholders will attend the IR-4 Food Use Workshop. Every other year, about 100 stakeholders attend the Ornamental Horticulture workshop. NRSP-4 research activity is a direct reflection of the priorities set at these workshops by the primary stakeholders.

Additionally, NRSP-4 has an IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC) consisting of growers, representatives of commodity groups and food processors. This 25 member committee meets two times a year to provide NRSP-4 management guidance on procedures and policy. The Chair of the CLC is a full voting member of the IR-4 Project Management Committee. CLC members serve as specific resource throughout the year on an ad hoc basis.

Besides domestic growers of specially crops and food processers, there are several other stakeholder groups/partners that are actively engaged with NRSP-4. These include:
a) The Crop Protection Industry provides NRSP-4 access to biological and chemical crop protection products that NRSP-4 uses in their research to solve primary stakeholder problems. NRSP-4 meets with most companies at least once a year and has multiple meetings with larger companies. At these meetings, cooperative strategies and timelines are developed.
b) State Agricultural Experiment Stations provides the Multi-State Research Funds and host the NRSP-4 field /laboratory research sites and offices. It is estimated that the SAES provides on an annual basis $12.0 million of in-kind support. The Directors of the SAES interact and provide direct input into NRSP-4 through the four Regional Administrative Advisors who attend all IR-4 Project Management Committee meetings.
c) USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides $12.18 million of direct funding for NRSP-4, which is the largest single source of direct funds for NRSP-4. Funding is provided to NRSP-4 units at the SAES to develop the required data to register the high priority pest control products on specialty crops and minor uses. A representative of NIFA attends and participates in the IR-4 Project Management Committee meetings.
d) USDA-Agricultural Research Service works in full coordination with NRSP-4. This Service provides personnel and research funds for pest management research at three analytical laboratories and eight field research centers. An ARS Scientist and an ARS National Program Leader attend the IR-4 Project Management Committee meetings. The Scientist participates as a voting member of the IR-4 Project Management Committee and the National Program Leader participates as an Administrative Advisor.
e) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Pest Management Centre conducts research of mutual interest to U.S. and Canadian specialty crop growers. These studies are conducted concurrently in both countries. AAFC provides 50-60 field trials each year in support of IR-4 studies. Results are combined and data packages (petitions) are submitted to both United States and Canadian regulatory agencies. Representatives from this group regularly attend NRSP-4 sponsored priority setting and management meetings.
f) USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) provides direct funding for the on-going global residue study being conducted on tomatoes in 27 countries.
g)USDA Agricultural Research Service provides direct funding for IR-4 to assist ARS and the Deployed War Fighter Protection Program (DWFP) in data development and support in the registration process of new toxicants, repellents, and attractants to protect military personnel against insects that transmit disease.

All stakeholders continue to find the outputs, deliverables and impacts from NRSP-4 extremely beneficial. In 2007, NRSP-4 commissioned a study with Michigan State University, Center for Economic Analysis to ascertain the economic impact of IR-4 efforts in the Food Crop program. Dr. Steven Miller authored the report, National Economic Impact of the IR-4 Project , which concluded, "it is estimated that by providing a sufficient supply of pesticides for specialty crop growers, the IR-4 Project directly contributes $4.564 billion in output of specialty crops in the US based on 2006 estimates. The nature of such products across the US is likely to stimulate additional economic output through a well-documented multiplier effect. Considering this multiplier effect, the total expected contribution of the IR-4 Project to the US gross domestic product is $7.675 billion. Such contribution to gross state product is expected to support over 113 thousand US jobs with annual wages of nearly 5 billion dollars". The Center of Economic Analysis at Michigan State University also conducted an economic assessment of the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program. They concluded, The IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program and its annual research investment of $1.2 million contributes $1.176 billion annually to the US gross domestic product, a return on investment of over 900 times. Additional impacts of IR-4's efforts on providing pest control tools for food crops have been measured. For the last 11 years, IR-4 has monitored the amount of loss avoidance of pesticide uses for which state(s) have included in Section 18 emergency exemptions submitted and approved by EPA. During this period, growers in states with approved Section 18s that were being supported by IR-4 data avoided a total of $17.8 billion or an average of $1.62 billion annually.

Implementation

Objectives

1. The Food Program - the primary objective of the Food Program is to facilitate registrations of pest management products for specialty food crops and for minor uses on major crops. In calendar year (CY) 2004 -2008, NRSP-4 obtained 2,425 clearances on food crops, exceeding the stated goal of 1,500 by 60%. NRSP-4 also led a successful effort to update and expand EPA-approved crop groupings, allowing more registrations for crops belonging to the new and expanded groups. The specific goal in the IR-4 Food Program from during Fiscal Years (FY) 2011 to 2015 is to increase productivity and obtain at least 1,000 of US EPA approved registrations annually.
   
2. The Ornamental Horticulture Program - the primary objective of the Ornamental Horticulture Program is to develop efficacy and phytotoxicity data to increase the number of ornamental crops or pests on pesticide labels. Emphasis will be placed on reduced risk chemicals. As part of the enhanced mission in the Ornamental Horticulture area, IR-4 will conduct research to rapidly test pest management products that could be used in the eradication and/or management of invasive pests. Top performing technology will be chosen for additional registration activities. The specific goal is to achieve at least 20 new ornamental registrations and impact at least 5,000 ornamental species annually. In the previous project period (CY 2005-2009), NRSP-4 obtained 35 registrations impacting over 7,900 ornamental crops and provided funding and research in support of time-critical projects to control outbreaks of invasive chili thrips and insecticide resistant Q-biotypes of whitefly.
   
3. The Biopesticide and Organic Support Program Program - the primary objective is to support research and provide regulatory support that enhances the development, registration, and use of biopesticides in conventional and organic agriculture. This involves (1) providing competitive funding of research proposals to assist in the development and use of biopesticides; (2) providing regulatory support for the registration and/or approval of publicly developed biopesticides, as well as those developed by small businesses; and (3) facilitating the addition of new products to the National Organic Programs (NOP) National List of approved substances for organics. The specific goal is to fund at least 25 research projects annually that will evaluate biopesticides and projects which support new pest management products for conventional and organic crop production. In the previous project period, NRSP-4 (1) funded 119 biopesticide projects, (2) provided regulatory assistance in development of a biological product to combat Israeli acute paralysis virus in honeybees (a virus linked to colony collapse disorder), (3) obtained registration and gained organic listing for ENTRUST formulation of Spinosad and (4) developed a searchable database that provides organic and conventional growers a list of registered biopesticide options for their crops.
   
4. Cooperative Public Health Pesticide Registration Support Program - the primary objective of this new program, which was established in association with USDA-ARS and the US Department of Defense (DOD), is to provide regulatory support for new pesticides and other technologies in the control of arthropod pests that transmit diseases to humans. IR-4 will assist in this effort by engaging industry to cooperatively develop their products for the public health arena.
   

Projected Outcomes

Management, Budget and Business Plan

Long-term policy, coordination, and integration are provided by the IR-4 Project Management Committee (PMC). The PMC consists of seven voting members and six non-voting members. The voting members are the IR-4 Project Executive Director, the Directors of the IR-4 Regional Offices (4), the ARS Director of the Office of Minor Use Pesticides, and the Chair of the IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee. Non-voting members include four Administrative Advisors (each representing one of the four regional associations of the SAES Directors), the ARS Administrator, and NIFAs IR-4 National Program Leader. The PMC Chair is elected by the voting members. The PMC meets three times a year to review the status of ongoing programs, develop policy and procedures, set operational budgets, develop strategic plans, and ensure that the program's overall goals are being met.

IR-4 Project Headquarters, the four IR-4 Regional Offices, and the USDA-ARS Office of Minor Use Pesticides are responsible for day-to-day management, coordination, and operation of the program.

The nationwide NRSP-4 program currently employs approximately 125 full-time equivalent staff. NRSP-4's entire research personnel and infrastructure is associated with the SAES or USDA-ARS. IR-4 Project Headquarters is located at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University. IR-4 Project Headquarters currently employs 28 full-time scientists and support staff. Many of the IR-4 Headquarters team have advanced degrees in the pest management sciences of entomology, plant pathology, or weed science; in analytical chemistry; or in general horticulture. IR-4 Project Headquarters staff includes the Executive Director and Associate Director along with a team of Assistant Directors, Managers and Research Coordinators who oversee the Food Program, Ornamental Horticulture Program, Biopesticide and Organic Support Program and the Public Health Pesticide Programs.

The four IR-4 Regional Offices are located at SAES in New York at Cornell University/Geneva; Florida, at the University of Florida; Michigan, at Michigan State University and in California at the University of California/Davis. Each of the four IR-4 Regional Offices has a Regional Director responsible for the staff and programs in their respective region. Staff includes the Regional Field Coordinators (RFC), Regional Laboratory Coordinators (RLC), and Regional Quality Assurance Coordinators (RQAC), additional analytical chemists, technicians and support staff.

USDA-ARS IR-4 activities are coordinated in Beltsville, MD. The ARS Director of the Office of Minor Use Pesticides manages a program similar to that of the IR-4 Regions except he is responsible for the field and residue laboratory assignments. Field trials and research are conducted at many sites throughout the United States. ARS maintains three analytical laboratories at Beltsville, MD, Tifton, GA and Wapato, WA.

The RFCs are responsible for assigning field residue trials to ensure the studies are conducted in the appropriate EPA geoclimatic zones. They work with Field Research Directors in the SAES to finalize trial locations, oversee their implementation, and review Field Data Books for quality control issues before sending them to the Quality Assurance Unit. Crop samples harvested from field trial sites are shipped to the IR-4 analytical laboratories for residue analysis. The primary IR-4 laboratories are University of Florida, Michigan State University, University of California-Davis, the USDA-ARS facilities as well as satellite laboratories at the University of Hawaii and Washington State University/Tri-Cities. All activities at the laboratory are completed under the direction of the SAES or ARS Laboratory Coordinators (RLC). The RQAC is responsible for reviewing the all data and making an assessment of the fitness of the data to meet the federal Good Laboratory Practice regulations.

Since 1976, NRSP-4 has been successful in using the support provided through NRSP funding as a basis to obtain additional resources from federal and private sector sources. In 2009 the $481,152 provided through NRSP-4 funds was able to assist in IR-4 receiving nearly $17.5 million dollars of direct funds from USDA and other sources. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, NRSP-4 is receiving a total of $18,351,182 from sources listed in Table 1.

The $18.35 million will be used to conduct the core research activities. The core research consists of approximately 600 field trials on food crops which develop residue samples that are used in 100 Magnitude of the Residue Studies. Additionally there are about 30 efficacy and/or crop safety trials on food crops. For ornamental crops there are an estimated 1050 field trials. Finally, IR-4 intends to fund 25 biopesticide grants.

The funds will be distributed with over $8 million going to the IR-4 Regional offices and Headquarters for personnel and core expenses, $2.25 million for residue field trials, $125,000 for efficacy work, $550,000 for ornamental trials, $400,000 for biopesticide/organic support grants and the remainder ($825,000) for mandatory NIFA holdback. Within the regional/HQ core funding, there is $600,000 a year to purchase/lease new equipment for the IR-4 analytical laboratories and field sites. Much of the current equipment at these research sites is reaching the end of its life cycle and new equipment is an absolute necessity.

The USDA-ARS/DOD and USDA-FAS funding is not being used for core programs; these funds are being used for the Cooperative Public Health Pesticide Registration Support Program and the Global Residue Zoning Study, respectively.

Assuming the SAES contribution via NRSP-4 funding and industry grants is maintained at FY 2010 levels, it will be necessary to increase the funds from NIFA and USDA-ARS funds to sustain the core research program at 2010 levels. To maintain the core output activities at 2010 levels, funding from NIFA would have to increase from $12.180 million in FY 2010 to $14.819 million in FY 2015; equivalent to a 21.6% increase over the period of performance. USDA-ARS funding will have to increase at a corresponding rate of growth; from $4.000 million in FY2010 to about $4.867 million by FY2015. The increase is needed because of the anticipated 4% annual increase in costs for personnel and other core expenses. The details of this model are found in Table 2.

IR-4 recognizes that during the next five years appropriations from Congress through NIFA and/or ARS may be limited and increases may not be available to sustain existing research outputs. If Congress maintains the current $12.180 million from NIFA and $4.0 million from ARS, specific aspects of IR-4 will need to be reduced. Cuts will be made in the number of field trials/studies in the food program, field trials in the ornamental horticulture program and biopesticide grants, resulting in the expected research output pattern outlined in Table 3.

Under the above flat funding scenario some priority is being maintained to increase the amount of funds allocated for individual food and ornamental research trials. This is being done in recognition that the host institutions for many of the IR-4 field research sites are facing significant budget challenges and are unable to provide as much in-kind contribution as provided in the past. IR-4 will be required to contribute more to the total cost of the field work.

This business plan assumes that $12.180 million is the base amount to cover the IR-4 core research objectives. Additional funding from NIFA, ARS, FAS or other sources will be needed to cover the expenses associated with many of the enhanced core research activities outlined in the new IR-4 Strategic Plan, including:
1) Comparative Product Performance Tests - It is anticipated that the cost for each Comparative Product Performance Test to find solution(s) for a specific pest will average approximately $75,000. IR-4 intends to target at least three high priority pest management voids on an annual basis from new sources of funds for a total of $225,000. Supporting dollars from USDA and/or from industry will be sought.
2) International Harmonization & Cooperation - The IR-4 Project has requested an additional $250,000 from USDA-FAS to assist in reducing trade barriers with US trading partners caused by differential requirements of pesticide residues in specialty crops. This funding will provide IR-4 the ability to reformat existing data and submit the data to international bodies for harmonization of US pesticide tolerances with international MRLs.
3) Expanded Ornamental Horticulture Program - An additional $810,000 would enable IR-4 to have a greater impact by providing more data to support adding new pests and/or new plant species to the labels of lower-risk chemical products and to characterize the resistance management potential and impact on beneficial organisms. NRSP-4 would look for new USDA grants to expand this aspect of the research program.
4) Invasive Pests/Plants Testing - The invasive species component involves a response to new pests that attack specialty crops and screening potential new crop plants for their likelihood to become invasive. The cost to respond to new pests that attack ornamental plant species is estimated to be about $450,000 per pest. The cost to screen potential new ornamental species is estimated to be $1.1 million annually. NRSP-4 is requesting $2.0 million annually from USDA-APHIS-PPQC grant sources.
5) Biopesticide and Organic Support - A funding increase of $250,000 would provide for 10 new research projects to directly assist growers of organic crops by furthering pest management technology available for crops targeted for organic markets. USDA-National Organic Program funds will be sought.
6) Cooperative Public Health Pesticide Registration Support Program - To continue providing regulatory support to the cooperative efforts with USDA-ARS and the Department of Defense, it is estimated that IR-4 will need $260,000 annually which has been committed for five years.

Integration

a. Integration
The key steps involved in integration across the IR-4 program were described in the previous section, which highlights the considerable scope of involvement and integrated effort of numerous stakeholders. A brief overview of current partnering activities with stakeholders as a key element of integration is provided below. The IR-4 partnership extends to growers, food processors, commodity organizations, the crop protection industry, the US EPA, California's Department of Pesticide Regulation, and Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). IR-4's partnership with PMRA has been so successful that authorities in Canada have decided to model their minor use/specialty crop program after the IR-4 program.

b. Partnerships
The 2009 External Peer Review team noted the following about IR-4's partnerships with stakeholders: "The entire IR-4 Project has an open door relationship with industry, the regulatory community, and other partners which has led to numerous successful outcomes while striving for continuous improvement".

IR-4 Partnerships with the Private Sector:

Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC). High value specialty crop growers and food processors are represented throughout the process and in overall management decisions by involvement on the Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC), consisting of approximately 25 members. The group elects its own chair who then joins the PMC as a full voting member. The CLC and PMC meet jointly once a year to discuss needs and progress. The CLC serves as a bridge between IR-4 and growers to assure that the program continues to focus on the most significant pest management problems. This stakeholder group provides regular guidance and advice on ways in which the program can best serve their needs. The CLC also communicates the IR-4 mission to the agricultural community and provides grower-level visibility on high value specialty crop issues. It develops IR-4 budget support initiatives and assists in securing other sources of external funding.

Crop Protection Industry. IR-4 would not have new products to make available as crop protection tools for specialty crop growers without the cooperation of the biopesticide and chemical companies, who discover, develop, register, and market their new technologies. IR- 4 personnel visit regularly with these companies to maintain connections and obtain new information. IR-4 continues to work closely with all companies to maximize the potential of their new technologies for high value specialty crops and make them aware of market opportunities as presented by our stakeholders through Project Clearance Requests and other direct inputs.

IR-4 Partnerships with Regulatory Agencies:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- EPA is a long term NRSP-4 partner. IR-4 meets formally at least three times a year with EPA to discuss new regulatory approaches and ways to enhance the ongoing petition submission/review process, improving regulatory efficiencies, data requirements, and research collaboration. This formal meeting is called the IR-4/EPA Technical Working Group. In addition to the above, IR-4 assists EPA with their training needs by providing educational training sessions on an annual basis to allow new EPA employees to better understand crop production systems and agriculture. EPA also co-funds the Biopesticide Demonstration Project with IR-4 to further grower acceptance of biopesticides.

California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) - The IR-4/CDPR partnership was initiated in 2000 with DPR reviewing one IR-4 petition as part of a DPR workshare program with EPA. The DPR reviews are accepted by EPA and enable IR-4 to obtain more clearances. This has continued with DPR providing the residue chemistry reviews for approximately 20% of NRSP-4 petitions through a cooperative agreement with EPA

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) - PMRA completed its first IR-4 workshare petition with the EPA in 2002. This has expanded in subsequent years. Now all the IR-4 workshare projects with the Agriculture and Ag-Food Canada's Minor Use Program are automatically submitted to PMRA for joint review with EPA.

Future Integration and Partnering:

IR-4's program is already well integrated as evidenced by the comments of the USDA external review team. Nonetheless, IR-4 continues to seek new and improved ways to achieve effective integration. In the coming five years, IR-4 will:
1) Continue to improve both the Food Use and Ornamentals Workshops and prioritization processes to enhance stakeholder inputs and make decision-making more efficient.
2) Continue to support sabbaticals for key IR-4 personnel to work with EPA to strengthen this integration of effort.
3) Continue to enhance the effectiveness of our outreach activities to ensure that all stakeholders understand the program, its activities and directions, and how they can interact with it to have their needs addressed (see Section 4, below).
4) Continue to seek ways to interact with and support the goals of the USDA Integrated Pest Management Centers.
5) Execute our Strategic Plan with full input and participation from all stakeholders.
6) Examine ways to increase the interactions with and enhance the role of the IR-4 State Liaison Representatives.
7) Implement many of the recommendations made in the Report of the 2009 External Peer Review of NRSP-4.

Outreach, Communications and Assessment

NRSP-4 realizes the importance of outreach and communications to maintain awareness of the program's activities among its varied stakeholders and supporters. Over the last five years, IR-4 developed and implemented a comprehensive outreach and communications plan and program to ensure meaningful, productive interaction with all its stakeholder groups and communities. IR-4's audiences are high value specialty crop growers, food processors and consumers, those who carry out the program in the land grant and ARS systems, and those who provide the financial support on which IR-4 depends.

IR-4 employs a mix of communication tools and media to engage its stakeholders. These include the traditional printed materials such as brochures, flyers, posters, news releases, quarterly newsletters distributed to ~3,500 domestic and 250 international subscribers, annual reports as well as Internet-based tools such as the IR-4 web site (ir4.rutgers.edu), a Facebook page, video on YouTube, and a monthly Activity Report delivered via listserv to 900 subscribers.

The IR-4 web site is updated daily and provides the IR-4 community with the most current news and information about IR-4 activities. News-related content includes general information and news, information about upcoming events, and links to IR-4 newsletters. There are tabs containing extensive information specific to the Food, Ornamentals, and Biopesticides programs as well as links to information about crop grouping. Also included is an IR-4 Professional Directory users can search in numerous ways. In addition, the web site provides access to searchable databases containing information about food crop and ornamental research projects and allows users to request projects. Users can use the web site to register for the annual Food Use and Ornamental Horticulture Workshops. The web site also contains links to the Global Minor Use Information Portal and to other international sources of information.

Content for the quarterly newsletters and other communication vehicles is proposed and agreed on by a committee chaired by the IR-4 Communication Manager and comprising representatives from IR-4 Headquarters, the four IR-4 regions, the Project Management Committee, ARS, the State Liaisons, the Commodity Liaison Committee, the Ornamental program, and the Analytical Laboratories.

IR-4 personnel regularly attend scientific, association, and trade meetings in order to report on IR-4 accomplishments to meeting participants and provide information to growers. The Communication Manager has frequently submitted articles for industry trade magazines.

To promote better communication within IR-4, the Communication Manager meets regularly with IR-4 personnel seeking feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Literature Cited

Aquino-Viray, F.R. Changes in the Pesticide Use and Dietary Risk in the USA since the Passage of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Ph.D Dissertation at Michigan State University, August 2009.

Miller, S.R. National Economic Impact of the IR-4 Project. Center for Economic Analysis, Michigan State
University, May 25, 2007

Miller, S. R. and Abdullahi Abdulkadri. Economic Impact of the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Project. Center for Economic Analysis Michigan State University. December 4, 2008

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

AR, CA, IL, KY, ME, MI, MN, OH, PA, PR, TX, UT, WA

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions