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Food Program: Obtain regulatory approval of safe and effective pesticides for fruits, vegetables, nuts and other specialty food crops and minor uses on major food crops with an emphasis on low hazard or reduced risk products and uses that are compatible with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. Annually, IR-4 will initiate about 100 multiyear residue studies consisting of 600 field trials and 50 efficacy/crop safety trials to facilitate pesticide tolerances and registrations. IR-4 will also assist specialty crops through the establishment of international Maximum Residue Levels to remove pesticide residues as a barrier to trade which allows producers better access to lucrative export markets. The need for IR-4?s services will increase with introduction of new/invasive pests, with pests becoming resistant to available pesticides, with increased need for product performance data, with increased complexity of regulatory data requirements, with internationalization of data requirements, and with emerging regulatory issues (e.g. pollinator protection). Biopesticide/Organic Support Program: Research to enhance the development and registration of biochemical pesticides, microbial pesticides, plant incorporated protectants and other technology to manage pests for use in conventional and organic production systems. IR-4 will also assist public sector associates and small biopesticide companies by providing guidance on how to successfully navigate through EPA?s biopesticide registration process. IR-4 will also provide regulatory support for USDA deregulation of genetically modified organisms associated with plant incorporated protectants. IR-4?s intends to conduct 20 studies to determine which biopesticide(s) exhibit potential to manage critical pests and provide regulatory support for at least two project, annually. The need for IR-4?s Biopesticide Program services will increase given growing demand for a more natural approach to pest management, including organics, for the continued challenge of new pests or pests becoming resistant to available pesticides, and for emerging regulatory issues (e.g. pollinator protection) with conventional pesticides. There is also anticipation that there will be emerging biopesticides (e.g. RNAi) that will require IR-4?s assistance. Ornamental Horticulture Program: Develop efficacy and/or plant safety data with biopesticides and conventional pesticides that expands the number of nursery, floral, and other ornamental crops or pests, including invasive pests registered. Emphasis will be placed on using products that are compatible with IPM and resistance management programs. Annually, IR-4 will initiate at least six research projects consisting of at least 200 field trials. The need for services in the ornamental area will increase given the introduction of new/invasive pest, pests becoming resistant to available pesticides, increased complexity of regulatory requirements, and emerging regulatory issues (e.g. pollinator protection). Public Health Pesticides: Provide assistance in the development/registration of pesticides and for use in controlling arthropod pests that transmit diseases to humans and minor animal species. IR-4?s activities target mosquitoes, ticks, sand flies, etc. that impact human health through vectoring diseases (e.g. West Nile virus, Lyme disease, malaria, dengue). IR-4 works with Department of Defense (DoD) and ARS to get the products registered through EPA. Specifically IR-4 will identify and assist in the evaluation of underutilized pesticides with vector control relevance, will evaluate novel products and technology developed for registration feasibility and regulatory data needs, will provide regulatory consulting services for public sector collaborators leading towards EPA registrations and will collaborate with international to facilitate global development of new technology.
This proposal will support the North Central Regional (NCR) IR-4 center at Michigan State University, including a regional analytical chemistry laboratory. Partners and collaborators conducting field research, quality assurance oversight, or serving on advisory committees, will comprise university faculty at SAES units in eleven of the twelve NCR states with the exception of Missouri, the USDA-ARS minor crop unit, and one private contractor. Since the plant protection industry has little economic incentive to develop registrations for specialty crop chemicals, IR-4 develops the data that provide legal, effective, economic, safe and IPM-compatible pest control solutions. Without this program, many specialty crops could no longer be produced in the USA or would be greatly compromised in cost and quality, with severe economic implications for American agriculture, food processors, and consumers. The project's objectives for specialty crops are to obtain pesticide clearances for food uses, conduct research to protect ornamental crops from key pests, and further the development and adoption of biopesticides. Pest management needs are identified regionally and nationally and prioritized by research and extension personnel, farmers, grower organizations and others. For food crops, field trials are conducted under Good Laboratory Practices and crop samples are analyzed for the magnitude of residues. Performance and crop safety studies are required on certain pest/crop combinations before research and registration can proceed. The reports of these studies, after Quality Assurance checks, are forwarded to IR-4 HQ and USEPA. In 2015 the NCR, through regional cooperators, will conduct 58 food crop field residue trials and 12 efficacy studies. The NCR Laboratory will analyze the magnitude of residues for 112 new studies from such field trials. Ornamentals projects are prioritized at a national workshop and assigned to collaborators in the NCR. The reports are sent to the registrants of the chemicals to assist in obtaining label amendments. Efficacy studies on difficult-to-control pests are also funded. In 2015, the NCR will conduct 51 trials to assess the safety of pesticides on ornamental crops and 6 efficacy studies. Also in 2015, biopesticide projects will be are prioritized at a national workshop and assigned to collaborators in the NCR. Because of the close national integration of activities, few of the objectives of the overall IR-4 program could be met without funding for the NC Regional Center.