IR-4

Domain	Definition
Agriculture	Inter-regional Project 4, also know as the Minor Crop Pest Management Program, is funded by CSREES to generate data to register pesticides and biological pest control agents for minor crops where there is no economic incentive to do so on the part of the pesticide manufacturing industry IR-4 provides coordination, funding, and scientific guidance for both field and laboratory research to develop data for the registration by the Environmental Protection Agency of pest control products on a wide variety of commodities. The program has been responsible for data to support over 2,074 food use clearances (1,127 of which were obtained during the past ten years), 3,602 ornamental registrations and, has supported research on 26 biopesticides which resulted in 18 minor use registrations. Each year, about 40% of all EPA newly registered pesticides are the result of IR-4 activities. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Photo Album: IR-4

Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	The interagency IR-4 program ensures the safety of so-called minor-use chemicals before they are approved for commercial agricultural production. At Salinas, California, ARS agronomist Sharon Benzen displays test-plot-grown broccoli that will be used to determine pesticide residue levels. P. Credit: USDA ARS News; photo by Scott Bauer..
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Anagrams: IR-4