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 How
IR-4 Works
To ensure that pest management
tools you need are there when you need them, get involved.
- Support your local extension
agents, researchers and other agricultural experts, as they can help:
- Identify the pest problem
- Identify possible pest
management solutions
- Offer a corner of your field
or greenhouse for a trial to evaluate possible management tools for
your pest problem..
- Continue to communicate
your needs to local extension, your State Liaison Representative or
the Northeast Regional Field Coordinator (See Contacts.)
Submit a Pesticide Clearance
Request (PCR), or work with your local extension, researcher, State Liaison
or Regional Field Coordinator on a PCR submission. This is VITALLY important
because IR-4 cannot begin to help you without a PCR.
- Anyone, growers, grower
groups, agricultural extension or research workers, can submit a PCR,
with the exception of chemical company representatives.
- IR-4 does require application
rate and timing information on the PCR.
The IR-4 process begins after
the PCR has been received.
- All new requests are
reviewed by the manufacturer/registrant, to confirmation the company
will add the use to their label, if a tolerance is established. The
EPA also reviews project before research is started, to check for problems
that might interfere with establishing a regulatory tolerance.
- All active projects are
prioritized by pest management experts once a year at the USDA/IR-4
Food Use Workshop. Research is started on Priority A projects that year
and completed within 30 months. Priority B will be researched as money
allows.
- The research necessary
to support the establishment of a regulatory tolerance is conducted.
- In the field, the requested
product is applied to the crop, and harvested, in manner that simulates
proposed commercial usage. Trials are conducted across the U.S. in compliance
with guidelines set by the U.S. EPA.
- The raw agricultural
commodity, and process products (when required) are analyzed for residues
at IR-4 laboratories.
- The field and laboratory
data are sent to IR-4 Headquarters, where the data is summarized and
submitted to the EPA.
- The EPA evaluates the
data package, conducts a risk assessment and establishes the tolerance.
At that point, the registrant can add the new crop use to its product
label for use by the growers.
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