The mission of the IR-4 Project is to facilitate registration of sustainable pest management technology for specialty crops and minor uses. Since 1963, the IR-4 Project has been the primary resource in the United States for facilitating registration of conventional pesticides and biopesticides on specialty food crops (fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices) and non-food ornamental horticulture crops (greenhouse, nursery, landscape plants, and Christmas trees). IR-4 serves as an intermediary between the crop protection industry, specialty crop growers and EPA.

IR-4 activities benefit growers by allowing them to have effective pest management tools that enable them to produce high quality food and ornamental horticulture crops. This in turn benefits the general public who have ample food and ornamental horticulture crops available at reasonable prices. Specialty food crops provide essential nutrition for a balanced diet, while ornamental horticulture crops enrich the environment and improve the quality of life.

IR-4’s newest initiative, the Public Health Pesticide Program, also benefits the general public by providing regulatory support for the development of pest control agents on arthropod pests that transmit diseases and threaten human health.