The IR-4 Project helps specialty crop growers address pest management concerns so they can produce healthy fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other crops recommended for a healthy diet; as well as flowers, shrubs, and landscape plants that enhance our environment. In essence, the IR-4 Project helps determine problem areas regarding pests and works to find solutions!

Eligible plants must be used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered a specialty crop. What does that mean? Here are some short examples:

• Apples, Mango, Coffee, Dates, Walnuts, Artichokes, Broccoli, Celery, Potatoes, Lettuce, Cilantro, Cinnamon, Ginger & Vanilla
• Fenugreek, St.John’s Wort, Stevia, & Witch Hazel
• Begonias, Lily’s, Orchids, Hostas, Carnations, & Tulips
• Various trees including Christmas types, flowering, Broadleaf Evergreens, etc.

Th USDA site lists 323 crops of various types, and that list isn’t all inclusive! See that list here, you will likely find some crops that surprise you!

Any person within the public sector can submit a project request. We recommend reaching out to your state liaison or Regional Field Coordinator, to ensure approved pest management methods for your issue are not already available. If a need still exists, you can submit a request for consideration.

Visit our Directory tab to find your state liaison, as well as contact information for the Southern Region team.

Please subscribe so we can provide you with the latest IR-4 information.

For chemical based management, visit Index - Label Database (cdms.net). For other methods, contact your state liaison or Regional Field Coordinator for guidance.

Crop grouping allows researchers to apply residue data collected from one crop to other similar crops without having to conduct additional research. See example below:

If a pest management solution is tested, effective and approved for the crops within the second column, that solution can be used on all crops listed in the third column.

Hopefully, you have reviewed the extensive list of specialty crops.  The work IR-4 does helps bring all these various crops to your grocery stores and flower beds.  Without adequate pest protection, growers cannot provide these crops to the consumer. IR-4 is the only publicly funded program that conducts research and submits petitions to the U.S. EPA for the approval of new tolerances and registration of additional uses of pest management tools.

For food use, the process can take up to five years from the time a request is submitted to the time a commercial product label has been updated.