Growers urge more IR-4 funding, parallel federal-state registrations for specialty crops

Specialty crop producers told the House Agriculture Committee that federal research grants and the IR-4 program are vital to getting crop protection tools into smaller markets, and that parallel federal-state registration would reduce delay.

Lede: "The IR-4 project does work for specialty crops. We need more funding," Don Cameron, vice president and general manager of Terra Nova Ranch, said, urging Congress to maintain and increase specialty-crop support.

Nut graf: Testimony described how many specialty crops lack labeled products because manufacturers prioritize broad-acre commodities. That leaves small-acre crops without registered tools, driving calls for more federal IR-4 funding, crop block grants and concurrent federal-state registration where appropriate so growers are not left behind.

Details and examples: Cameron and others said specialty crops often cannot justify the time and expense for manufacturers to seek labels. Witnesses also described state-level delays and dual-registration burdens, especially in California, where growers sometimes lack products used just across the border in neighboring states. Representative Costa cited a previous Lygus outbreak that he said cost California Pima cotton growers about $4.041 billion in lost production in one year.

Policy options discussed: Witnesses recommended additional funding for IR-4, renewed biopesticide demonstration grants and farm bill provisions to support specialty-crop testing and labels. Several witnesses also urged cooperative federal-state processes or memoranda of understanding to enable simultaneous review and reduce time-to-availability.

Ending: Members asked for specific cost estimates and legislative language; witnesses and members agreed to follow up with written material and to consider programmatic funding in upcoming farm bill negotiations.