Friend of IR-4 House Approprioations Letter

Dear Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro and Subcommittee Chairman Harris and Ranking Member
Bishop:


We, the Friends of IR-4 and the Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC) of the IR-4 are writing to you in strong support of the House Agriculture Appropriations bill that passed out of Committee on July 10, 2024. The
funding as approved for the IR-4 Project will help the specialty crop industry continue to grow.


The Friends of IR-4 and the CLC include members of the specialty crop industry, registrants and producers of specialty crops from across the U.S. The membership represents the stakeholders of the ARS growing crops as diverse as strawberries, hops, ginseng, pulses and horticulture plants. The CLC and the Friends have worked together to represent the stakeholder needs across the entire U.S.

The IR-4 Project was established in 1963 by the USDA and aids specialty crop agriculture by developing data needed to facilitate the registration of crop protection products for fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, ornamental plants and other horticultural crops. Products supported by IR-4 reduce food waste while maximizing returns to the agriculture community.

Services provided by IR-4 are relevant to the specialty crop community because the private sector focuses their research and development resources into major crops/markets that provide adequate return on investment, such as corn and soybeans. Research focused on specialty crops is often not prioritized.


To address the current and future availability of specialty crops, the specialty crop community supports the funding included in the FY 2025 House Agriculture Appropriations bill that funds the project at $15,750,000. We are hopeful that any year end negotiations on a longer-term budget will include this
amount.

  • Specialty crop growers need new, safe pest management products to fight the increasing number of invasive insects, diseases, weeds, and other pests that attack crops. They also need alternatives to replace products that are losing registrations or are no longer effective.
  • IR-4 helps producers to provide sustainable food. Products labeled for use through IR-4 include pesticides with safer chemistry, products focused on new or emerging pests, and products for organic
    production.
  • IR-4 Project efforts enhance U.S. grower access to international markets by eliminating trade barriers through harmonizing pesticide regulations with other countries.
  • The USDA recently implemented a change in IR-4’s funding process which allows IR-4 to pay indirect costs to host institutions that will result in a more than 10% reduction in research funding once
    implemented this year.
  • The IR-4 Project provides a great return on funding investment. Michigan State University reported that the IR-4 Project contributes $8.9 billion to the annual U.S. GDP and supports more than 123,260 jobs.
  • The IR-4 Project helps farmers reduce food waste while providing the public with vast amounts of quality fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices.


Thanks for your consideration and support,
Sincerely,
Todd Scholz
Chair, Commodity Liaison Committee
USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council


Keith Pitts
Vice Chair, Commodity Liaison Committee
SVP-Sustainability and Regulatory Strategy
Pro Farm Group, Bioceres Crop Solutions


Adama
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Mushroom Institute
AmericanHort
American Sugar Cane League
Aquatic Plant Management Society
Bioworks
Brooks Tropicals
California Leafy Greens Research Board
California Tomato Research Institute
Cherry Marketing Institute
Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
Gowan Company
Hops Growers of America
International Fresh Produce Association
Lallemand Specialties Inc.
Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association
Minor Use Foundation, Inc
Mint Industry Research Council
Minor Use Foundation
National Watermelon Association
North American Blueberry Council
North Central Weed Science Society
North Carolina SweetPotato Commission
Northeastern Weed Science Society
Oregon Seed Council
Pro Farm Group
Southern Weed Science Society
Village Farms, L.P.
Washington Asparagus Commission
Washington Blueberry Commission
Weed Science Society of America
Western Society of Weed Science