August 29, 2024

Pest Management Solutions for Specialty Crops and Specialty Uses

The following is a recap of news and updates released by

The IR-4 Project during the month of August.

LATEST NEWS

Final Day to Nominate Projects for Food Use Workshop

The project nomination period for the 2024 Food Use Workshop is open through today, Thursday, August 29 at 11:59 pm ET. Project Clearance Requests that were submitted for residue studies, product performance or integrated solutions research must be nominated to be considered at next month's workshop.

Visit the Food Use Data Management System Login page to make your nominations. A video tutorial is available on the Stakeholder Resources page guiding users through the nomination form (under Video Tutorials).

Please note: today (8/29) is also the last day to register for the Food Use Workshop at the early bird rate (the rate increases at midnight on 8/30), and tomorrow (8/30) is the last day to book a hotel room at the group rate. Find more timely reminders under "Important Deadlines."

Complete the Integrated Solutions Survey

The IR-4 Project is collecting feedback regarding the Integrated Solutions Platform and its accomplishments over the last seven years. We are seeking your feedback; survey responses submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on Friday, September 6 will shape the discussions held during the IS listening session during the Food Use Workshop.

Read a letter from IR-4 Executive Director Jerry Baron providing more background and complete the survey here.

EPA Tour Recap + Thank You, Van Starner

On June 26, members of IR-4’s headquarters team joined EPA and USDA colleagues for a specialty crop tour through the rolling hills of the Northeast Region. A favorite tradition running 20 years strong, this annual tour is hosted by IR-4 in the spirit of connecting regulators to the realities of specialty crop growers’ livelihoods and pest challenges. Each year follows a different itinerary, showcasing a variety of specialty crops important to the region, and including both commercial operations and land-grant research farms. 

Crucial to the success of these tours has been Van Starner, retired Assistant Director for IR-4 and currently assisting IR-4 in a part-time capacity. Known for his leadership in many areas of IR-4’s work, Van is especially known for guiding two decades worth of crop tours. As Van transitions to full retirement, he decided to lead this one final tour. It was one for the books, as Van guided attendees from Maryland to Pennsylvania, focusing on Adams County, PA where he was born and raised.

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Read the rest of this story on our website for highlights from each stop and a celebration of Van's stellar work!

Sherita Normington Joins IR-4 HQ Team

IR-4 Project Headquarters at NC State University is pleased to announce the hiring of Sherita Normington as our part-time Senior Quality Assurance Auditor with IR-4’s Quality Assurance Unit. Sherita will be responsible for performing various types of QA audits of IR-4 Project-generated raw data and reports to assist in ensuring the quality and integrity of IR-4 Project submissions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Sherita has 36+ years working under EPA Good Laboratory Practices; of those, 14 years were spent in the IR-4 Western Region’s Quality Assurance Unit. Sherita has her B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Entomology from the University of California, Davis. We welcome Sherita and her expertise back to IR-4!

Sherita can be reached at: smnormin@ncsu.edu.

Newcomers, Prepare for the Food Use Workshop with this Tutorial

We are pleased to share this new video tutorial made to introduce newcomers to the Food Use Workshop, or serve as a refresher for those who have participated before. Learn what to expect at the event, and how to get involved in IR-4’s Food Crop research cycle before, during and after the Workshop. Find it on our website and YouTube channel.

MORE EVENT UPDATES

Final Agenda Posted for the Food Use Workshop

A final agenda (including both a virtual and an in-person version) is now available for IR-4's annual Food Use Workshop.

This year's priority-setting meeting will take place September 10-12, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Research priorities for residue, product performance, and integrated solutions studies for 2025 will be identified during this workshop. A virtual option will be available for participants unable to attend in person.

Please note this is the final day to book at the early bird registration rate (valid through 11:59 pm ET on August 29) of $375. This rate will increase to $475 at midnight on August 30. Hotel rooms may be booked at the group rate through tomorrow, August 30. The final day to request a cancellation and refund for FUW registration is September 3.

Visit the event web page for the hotel booking link and other helpful information; this is also where prioritization lists will be posted. We hope to see you in Milwaukee (or virtually)!

Important Deadlines

Several deadlines are upon us as we approach the 2024 Food Use Workshop. Today is the final day to nominate projects and register at the early bird rate. Tomorrow is the final day to book a hotel room at the group rate. Please note these key dates and deadlines:

• August 15-29: Project Clearance Requests are eligible for nomination online (today's the last day!)
• August 30: Final day to book a hotel room at the group rate
• August 30: Registration rate increases (early bird rate valid through 11:59 pm on Aug. 29; regular rate effective at or after midnight on Aug. 30)
• September 3: Final day to request a cancellation and refund
• September 5: The list of nominated projects is posted on the public website
• September 10-12: Food Use Workshop

Thank You, 2024 Event Sponsors!

Sponsors make events like the Food Use Workshop possible and help IR-4 deliver on its grower-focused mission. Are you interested in sponsoring IR-4’s 2024 events? Please reach out to ir-4_project@ncsu.edu for more information.

RESEARCH UPDATES

Food Crops

The following tolerance successes were added to the IR-4 website in June. Find other tolerance successes under Food Crop Successes & Stories.

• Cyflumetofen (Federal Register date: May 10, 2024)
• Cyantraniliprole (Federal Register date: May 15, 2024)

Environmental Horticulture

The following crop safety research summary was posted to the Environmental Horticulture Program page in June:

— Stay tuned for more in September —

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This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2022-79111-38469 with substantial cooperation and support from the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, USDA-ARS and USDA-FAS. In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.