THE IR-4 PROJECT FACILITATES REGISTRATION OF CROP PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY FOR SPECIALTY CROPS (FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS, HERBS, ORNAMENTALS, OTHER HORTICULTURE CROPS) AND MINOR USES ON MAJOR CROPS (CORN, SOYBEAN, WHEAT, ETC.) TO MANAGE INSECT, PLANT DISEASE, WEED, AND OTHER DESTRUCTIVE PESTS. IR-4 ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION BY DEVELOPING THE DATA REQUIRED BY THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, THE STATES, AND INDUSTRY TO EXPAND REGISTRATIONS WITH CONVENTIONAL PESTICIDES AND BIOPESTICIDES. IR-4 SUPPLEMENTS THE EFFORTS OF INDUSTRY IN MARKETS THAT LACK ADEQUATE SALES TO SUPPORT THEIR DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT. IR-4 PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT DELIVERABLES WITH POSITIVE IMPACTS TO STAKEHOLDERS THAT INCLUDE NEW REGISTRATIONS FOR KEY PESTS; EXTENDING REGISTRATIONS TO INCLUDE SIMILAR CROPS THROUGH CROP GROUPING/DATA EXTRAPOLATION; AND ASSISTING IN THE HARMONIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS TO REMOVE PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN CROPS AS A TRADE BARRIER. IR-4 CONCENTRATES ITS EFFORTS ON LOWER RISK TECHNOLOGY THAT RESPECTS HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS GIVES THE SPECIALTY CROP FARMERS/GROWERS ACCESS TO CROP PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY TO BETTER MANAGE PESTS IN A SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MANNER. ORGANIC GROWERS ALSO BENEFIT FROM REGISTRATIONS OF BIOPESTICIDES DERIVED FROM NATURAL MATERIALS.IR-4 HEADQUARTERS (HQ), A UNIT OF NC STATE UNIVERSITY, MANAGES/COORDINATES ACTIVITIES FOR THE NATIONAL IR-4 PROJECT. HQ COORDINATES RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WITH COLLABORATIONS WITH THE FOUR IR-4 REGIONAL CENTERS (NE-UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE; NC-MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, SR-UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, AND WR-UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS), USDA-ARS, IR-4'S FIELD RESEARCH FARMS, COMMODITY/GROWER GROUPS, THE CROP PROTECTION INDUSTRY, STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS, EPA, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.