Could IR-4 change affect future crop protection?

In March, the American Nursery & Landscape Association announced a government change that could have dramatic impact on the nursery industry. Publisher Todd Davis caught up with Marc Teffeau, ANLA director of research and regulatory affairs, to learn more about a proposed move of the IR-4 Project, and how it could affect future pesticide availability for nursery growers.

So for those unfamiliar with the program, what is IR-4?
A: Less than 5 percent of commercial pesticide sales are used for specialty crops, including nursery. As a result the chemical companies are very reluctant to spend the millions of dollars for the research needed to get the materials EPA labeled. The IR-4 Project has efficiently and cost-effectively facilitated over 25,000 registrations for the many diverse specialty crops.

Over 80 percent of IR-4 research supported registrations are for lower and reduced-risk crop protection products.

So without IR-4, it’s going to be nearly impossible to get new chemical labels registered?
A: It is going to be a much more difficult process. Over 50 percent of the current label registrations for ornamentals have come through the IR -4 Project. For other specialty crops the percentage is much higher.

Why are lawmakers considering moving IR-4?
A: In a nutshell, IR-4 is basically its own budget line in the USDA-National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at almost $12 million dollars. Lawmakers are proposing moving IR-4 funding with five other Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs into a new Crop Protection programs. We support IPM programs, but IR-4 is not an IPM program.

And what will result?
A: ANLA and the other specialty crop producers and organizations equate “consolidation” with elimination of the IR-4 Project.

When this proposal was recently presented to members of IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee and the Minor Crops Farm Alliance group, USDA NIFA representatives would not give any assurance or make any commitments that the integrity and the mission of the IR-4 Project would be maintained. They very well could dissolve the program and direct the funding in support of IPM projects. This “consolidation” will not save federal dollars or be a cost-saving measure. Congress exempts IR-4 from Pesticide Registration Improvement Reauthorization Act (PRIA) fees.

EPA reports the IR-4 exemption was worth $8.3 million in FY 2011. PRIA fees could become a real cost for USDA in the proposed Crop Protection program. In addition, the consolidating IR-4 with the proposed Crop Protection program will substantially increase costs because the current exemption from the 30 percent overhead charges by the land-grant universities would be removed.

This would mean that Congress would need to provide an additional $3.6 million to maintain IR-4 research activities at current levels to account for when the indirect cost waiver to host universities is lost.

A recent study by Michigan State University reported that the IR-4 Project efforts contribute over $7.2 billion to U.S. gross domestic product. The federal funding provides over a 200-fold return on investment.

More importantly, the federal funds for IR-4 provide supports for over 100,000 jobs throughout the United States for specialty crop producers and allied industries.

What are you asking nursery growers to do?
A: Nursery and greenhouse crop producers need to call or e-mail now their Congressman/woman and Senators stressing the need to maintain funding for IR-4 and to oppose the consolidation of the IR-4 program in the USDA NIFA budget.

Find out who on your legislator’s staff covers agricultural issues and communicate directly about this issue. Specifically ask to direct $12 million for Minor Crop Pest Management (IR-4) in FY 2013 in USDA-NIFA Research and Education Activities and not consolidate the program with other USDA NIFA budget line items.

Visit the ANLA website about this issue or a dedicated website (www.saveir-4.org) for more information.