Progress 07/15/09 to 07/14/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The researchable projects for IR-4 in 2010 were prioritized by IR-4 stakeholders during the September, 2009 IR-4 Food Use Workshop, in Cleveland, OH. Based on the outcome of this workshop and other priority setting mechanisms, IR-4 scheduled 84 studies consisting of 604 field trials. Quality Assurance: the IR-4 QAU meetings focusing was on audit timelines, revisions to QA SOPs, the revised IR-4 database and its uses and the communication concerning timeline changes were discussed. Ornamental Horticulture: The Ornamental Horticulture Program Workshop was held in 2009 (it is held every other year). Workshop attendees discussed and selected high (issues important to growers which impact a large part of the USA) and medium (important issues with a limited geographic impact) priority projects for entomology, pathology and weed science. Biopesticide: in 2009 the Biopesticide and Organic Support Program call for proposals yielded 58 proposals of which 4 early stage and 20 advanced stage projects were approved for funding. Proposal coordination was conducted by HQ but funding was provided directly to the IR-4 regional offices for distribution. In Dec 2008, IR-4 conducted a Strategic Planning Conference where stakeholders had an opportunity to provide suggestions for future directions of the IR-4 Project. The final "A Strategic Plan for IR-4 2009-2014" was completed in April 2010. The new IR-4 Strategic Plan, along with activities of the IR-4 Project, was reviewed by a panel of experts in May 2009. This Peer Review, sponsored by CSREES, was intended to look at the structure and function of IR-4 and ways IR-4 could do a better job serving the needs of its primary stakeholders. This review was very complementary to IR-4, however, there were some solid recommendations on how to further improve our program. These recommendations are currently being implemented. The Peer Review was a critical step in the comprehensive reauthorization process of IR-4 by USDA and the State Agricultural Experiment Stations. By the end of the calendar year, 2009, a detailed proposal to renew IR-4 was ready for submission to the State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Work conducted within the IR-4 Food Use Program has a multiple year timeline given the process involves research prioritization, planning and implementation to data submission and approval. In 2009, the IR-4 Food Program submitted 126 pesticide tolerance petitions involving 36 chemicals to EPA and proposals to expand the Herb and Spice group. IR-4 conducted 553 field trials associated with 109 high priority studies. Sixteen of these residue studies were conducted in cooperation with the Pest Management Centre (PMC) of Agriculture and Ag-Food Canada. Canada served as Study Director for 3 of the harmonized joint projects. Our efforts produced data that allowed the EPA to establish 219 permanent pesticide tolerances on 32 chemical. Using crop groupings and other extrapolations, these tolerances support 952 likely new use registrations with conventional pesticide products. The Ornamental Horticulture Program conducted 36 efficacy/crop safety trials to develop "value" data to support specialty crop/minor use registrations and submitted 16 data packages of ornamental data to the registrants. IR-4 conducted 1212 trials with greenhouse and field ornamentals crops in support of future registration decisions. Data supported 6 registration decisions and our efforts impacted 614 ornamental plant species. The Biopesticide Program funded 34 research proposals to provide data to support expansions on a number of biopesticide registrations. The program funded 4 Early Stage, 20 Advanced Stage and 10 Demonstration Stage projects. Our efforts supported 3 biopesticide products which translated into 7 new biopesticide uses on food crops resulting in 959 potential new registrations on food crops. All residue studies are conducted in compliance with federal regulations. Compliance activities are the efforts of the IR-4 Quality Assurance Unit which conducted 209 field and 72 analytical in-life inspections. Additionally, they audited 582 field data books, 64 analytical summary reports and 69 final/amended reports. The IR-4 Biopesticide Label Database added updated labels for: Goldengro R, Gemstar, Falgro 4L, Scythe, Exilis Plus, MeloCon WG, Aza-Direct and Dipel-ES Outreach: Section 18 Summaries (1998-2009) for products, crops and States are now available through the IR-4 Website and Facebook pages
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 07/15/09 to 07/14/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Project Planning: The IR-4 Food Use Workshop was held in Cleveland, OH. This annual event brings together growers, commodity organizations, university research, extension specialists and EPA staff who collectively determine the project priorities based on the importance of the specific disease, insect, or weed and the ability of the control tactic to manage the problem. Approximately 253 projects were nominated as priority "A" including approximately 30 projects that require only efficacy and or crop safety data to add a pest to a labeled crop, or add a crop to a marketing label. Following up on the Workshop, IR-4 held the National Research Planning meeting held at IR-4 Headquarters. This meeting is consists of the IR-4 Regional Field and Lab Coordinators and HQ staff who assign field and laboratory sites for the upcoming year's research projects. Approximately 100 food use residue studies (crop-chemical combinations) involving 600 field trials are undertaken annually. Quality Assurance: the IR-4 QAU meetings focusing was on audit timelines, revisions to QA SOPs, the revised IR-4 database and its uses and the communication concerning timeline changes were discussed. Ornamental Horticulture: The Ornamental Horticulture Program Workshop was held in Cleveland, OH. Workshop attendees discussed and selected high (issues important to growers which impact a large part of the USA) and medium (important issues with a limited geographic impact) priority projects for entomology, pathology and weed science. Biopesticide: the call for 2010 Biopesticide and Organic Support Proposals was posted on the IR-4 website and rresulted in the submission of 52 proposals. The Biopesticide review committee selected 10 demonstration, 5 early stage and 21 advanced stage projects for funding. Additionally, IR-4 conducted a Strategic Planning Conference which was held in Washington, DC. Stakeholders had an opportunity to provide suggestions for future directions of the IR-4 Project. The final "A Strategic Plan for IR-4 2009-2014" was completed in April 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Jerry Baron, Ph.D. - Executive Director; Marija Arsenovic, Ph.D. - Study Director, Weed Science; Tammy White Barkalow, M.S. - Assistant Director, Quality Assurance Unit; William Barney, M.S. - Study Director, Interdisciplinary Working Group and Manager, Crop Grouping; Michael Braverman, Ph.D. - Manager, Biopesticide Program; Deborah Carpenter, M.S. - Assistant Director, Registrations; Johannes Corley, Ph.D. - Study Director, Residue Chemistry Working Group; Keith Dorschner, Ph.D. - Manager, Insecticides; Jane Forder, B.A - Quality Assurance Unit; K. Hackett-Fields, A.A. - Quality Assurance Unit; Kathryn Homa, B.S. - Assistant Coordinator, Insecticides and Interdisciplinary Working Group; Diane Infante, A.A. - Research Associate, Project Planning; Daniel Kunkel, Ph.D - Associate Director, Food & International Programs; Raymond Leonard, B.A. - Study Director, Interdisciplinary Working Group; Cristi Palmer, Ph.D. - Manager, Ornamental Horticulture Program; Bharti Patel, B.S - Quality Assurance Unit; Kenneth Samoil, M.S. - Study Director, Insecticides; Van Starner, Ph.D - Assistant Director, Research Planning & Outreach; Tracey Switek, B.S. - Assistant Coordinator, Insecticides and Interdisciplinary Working Group; David Thompson, Ph.D. - Manager, Fungicides; 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; 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; US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a long term IR-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. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary stakeholders of IR-4 research activities are the domestic growers of specialty crops and food processors have significant involvement with the operations of IR-4. All sponsored research is stakeholder driven and 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. IR-4 research activity is a direct reflection of the priorities set at these workshops by the primary stakeholders. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Work conducted within the IR-4 Food Use Program has a multiple year timeline given the process involves research prioritization, planning and implementation to data submission and approval. During the period July 2009 to July 2010, there were approximately 291 permanent tolerances, 13 revised tolerances and 22 notices of filings established; the proposed rule for revisions to US Crop Group 8-09, Fruiting Vegetables; Crop Group 10-09, Citrus Fruit; Crop Group 11-09, Pome Fruit and the new Crop Group 20, Oilseed was published in the Federal Register; at the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues meeting in China, 35 chemicals were reviewed or re-reviewed and codex MRLs proposed. IR-4 contributed data to 6 of these compounds; a joint IR-4/EPA proposal for the revised Leafy Vegetable crop group was considered by the US EPA ChemSAC: the proposal to move the Leafy Brassica greens 5B into Leafy Vegetable crop group 4 was accepted. ChemSAC agreed that the Brassica leafy vegetables would be a separate subgroup in crop group 4 with either mustard greens or kale as representative commodities; the proposal to add Stalk and Stem Vegetables to existing subgroup 4B (Leaf petioles) was generally accepted by ChemSAC, but ChemSAC requested additional information consisting of a comparison of tolerances for celery (representative) and asparagus; the proposal to add a new subgroup of aquatic leafy vegetables to Leafy Vegetable crop group 4 was discussed. ChemSAC recommended aquatic vegetables should be a separate crop group rather than a subgroup within the Leafy vegetables. The IR-4 Quality Assurance audited 60% of the 2009 field data books; 20% of the field data books are in the queue for auditing and 20% have not been received. In the Ornamental Horticulture area, by the end of July 2010, 72% of the 2009 planned research program had been submitted and cataloged in the database with 7% of the trials cancelled. The remaining 21% are ongoing trials. 2008 Research Update: By the end of July 2010, 76% of the 2008 planned research program had been submitted and cataloged in the database with 13% of the trials cancelled. The remaining 11% are ongoing trials. The IR-4 Biopesticide Label Database added updated labels for: Goldengro R, Gemstar, Falgro 4L, Scythe, Exilis Plus, MeloCon WG, Aza-Direct and Dipel-ES Outreach: Section 18 Summaries (1998-2009) for products, crops and States are now available through the IR-4 Website and Facebook pages
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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