Executive Director Notes

Dear Friends,

Spring is the time when many Headquarters team members visit agricultural chemical companies in order to help plan the following year’s research. During these meetings we receive updates on the status of ongoing research and regulatory activities, exchange ideas on improving efficiency and discuss trends. IR-4’s “Company Tour 2014” is partially complete, however, two striking trends have already emerged: biopesticides are being mainstreamed by conventional chemical companies, and there is increased emphasis on international activities.


The biopesticide focus became clearer with Bayer Crop Science’s purchase of Agraquest for $0.5 Billion. Agraquest products have been integrated into Bayer’s conventional chemical portfolio with the biopesticides to be used as part of a resistance management program or used for late season applications to reduce residues. Several other major companies are also investing in development and sales of new biopesticide products.

Responding to this trend, IR-4 is making fundamental changes in the biopesticide program. IR-4 will no longer solicit grant proposals but will focus on developing biopesticide efficacy data. The program will focus more on establishing a limited number of priorities on pest management voids and investigating if available biopesticides can provide a solution for the pest problem. To initiate this new process, IR-4 will host a Biopesticide Priority Setting Workshop that will be held immediately following this year’s Food Use Workshop. Please contact Michael Braverman (braverman@aesop.rutgers.edu) or Bill Barney (barney@aesop.rutgers.edu) for more information about this new workshop process.

The other trend with the companies is a greater concern for harmonization of Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs or pesticide tolerances) with international trading partners. This issue is not new but more and more emphasis is being placed in minimizing problems with MRLs. IR-4 continues to take a strong leadership role in global harmonization of MRLs, with efforts funded through USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service, and IR-4 wishes to thank USDA-FAS for the resources to assist in this important area.

IR-4’s international vision is to have a global network of qualified “IR-4-Like” programs cooperating on data development to support harmonized MRL’s for specialty crops. This vision is founded on IR-4’s activities with Canada’s Pest Management Centre-Minor Use Programme. When a use is a priority in both countries, we work on the research together and submit the joint data to regulatory authorities in both countries. This model has been very successful and IR-4 wishes to offer congratulations to the Canadian Pest Management Centre as they celebrate their 10-year anniversary!

Also, hot off the presses, the Australian government will significantly expand their minor use program with a new investment of 8 million Australian dollars.

All the best — Jerry