The IR-4 Project
The IR-4 Project is a federally-funded agricultural research consortium, established in 1963, that develops residue and efficacy data to support EPA registration of pest management products for U.S. specialty crops and minor uses on major crops.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The IR-4 Project does
The IR-4 Project is a federally-funded agricultural research consortium established in 1963 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and land-grant universities to address the "Minor Use Problem" — the absence of registered crop protection products for specialty crops and minor uses on major crops because the agrochemical industry lacks financial incentive to extend registrations to smaller-acreage crops. IR-4 develops residue, efficacy, and crop safety data required by the EPA and submits petitions for tolerance registrations on behalf of specialty crop growers. The organization operates as a unique partnership between USDA (NIFA and ARS), State Agricultural Experiment Stations, EPA, the agrochemical industry, commodity groups, and growers, with governance exercised through a Project Management Committee and Commodity Liaison Committee.
IR-4 delivers its services through three core programs — the Food Crops Program (fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts), the Environmental Horticulture Program (greenhouse, nursery, and ornamental crops, originally established in 1977), and the Biopesticide Regulatory Support Program (regulatory assistance to public-sector scientists and small businesses seeking EPA registration for biologically-based products). Supporting infrastructure includes the Electronic Field Data Book for digital data capture, the eQA/eDOCs compliance and document management system, three searchable stakeholder databases (Food Crops, Environmental Horticulture, Biopesticides and Organic Support), and the internationally-accepted Crop Grouping System that allows residue data from one representative crop to extend to similar crops. The annual Food Use Workshop and biennial Environmental Horticulture Workshop serve as the primary priority-setting mechanisms for new research projects.
IR-4 generates no commercial revenue. It is funded primarily through USDA NIFA grants — most recently a four-year, $56 million award (grant number 2022-79111-38469), the first multi-year grant in its history. Services are provided at no cost to specialty crop growers, who access IR-4 through five regional field offices (Southern at University of Florida, Northeast at University of Maryland, Western at UC Davis, North Central at Michigan State University) plus a USDA-ARS US Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC. Headquarters, hosted at NC State University since October 2021, employs 51-100 staff in Raleigh, NC. In March 2026, Lina Quesada-Ocampo succeeded Jerry Baron as Executive Director after Baron's 40-year tenure.
The IR-4 Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The IR-4 Project
- Legal name
- The IR-4 Project
- Website
- https://ir4project.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The IR-4 Project is a federally-funded agricultural research consortium, established in 1963, that develops residue and efficacy data to support EPA registration of pest management products for U.S. specialty crops and minor uses on major crops.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The IR-4 Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Research and Pesticide Regulatory Support
- NAICS
- Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biologicals Regulatory, Testing & Quality Assurance Services (AFABAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crop Protection Chemicals (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides) (IMAEAEAI), Biological Pest Control (Beneficial Insects, Nematodes, Microbials) (AFABAKAB), Insecticides (AFABAAAB), Grain Protectants & Post-Harvest Insecticide Application (AFAOAIAF)
Keywords
Where The IR-4 Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
The IR-4 Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- USDA NIFA Grants: IR-4 is funded primarily through grant awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The project received a four-year, $56 million grant (award number 2022-79111-38469) with substantial cooperation and support from State Agricultural Experiment Stations, USDA-ARS, USDA-APHIS, and USDA-FAS.
- Cooperative Research Agreements: IR-4 operates through partnerships with USDA agencies, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, land-grant universities, and other government agencies. The organization coordinates research at universities and USDA facilities without traditional product sales revenue.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
The IR-4 Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The IR-4 Project conducts field research and laboratory analyses to generate the residue, efficacy, and crop safety data that the U.S. EPA requires to register pest management products (conventional pesticides and biopesticides) for specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and ornamentals, as well as for minor uses on major crops. Its deliverables include EPA tolerance petitions, regulatory submissions, and maintained searchable databases of registered uses.
Product overview
The IR-4 Project is a USDA-funded research consortium that operates as a partnership between USDA, land-grant universities, and the EPA to facilitate regulatory approval of pest management technologies for specialty crops. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs: the Food Crops Program and Environmental Horticulture Program serve as the two core research initiatives that generate residue, efficacy, and crop safety data; the Biopesticide Regulatory Support Program provides regulatory assistance for biologically-based products; and multiple searchable databases (Food Crops Database, Environmental Horticulture Database, Biopesticides and Organic Support Database) disseminate research results. Supporting tools include the eQA/eDOCs electronic document management system and the Electronic Field Data Book for digital data collection. The organization's annual Food Use Workshop and biennial Environmental Horticulture Workshop serve as the primary stakeholder priority-setting mechanisms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Food Crop Program: Program facilitating regulatory approval of safe pest management solutions for specialty crop growers including fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and other specialty crops
- Environmental Horticulture Program
- Biopesticide Regulatory Support Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 75,000+ registrations of pest management technologies supported
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The IR-4 Project
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The IR-4 Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The IR-4 Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- State Agricultural Experiment StationscoreState Agricultural Experiment Stations across the country partner with IR-4 to conduct research and provide local expertise for specialty crop pest management needs. These land-grant university facilities host regional field offices and conduct field trials.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreIR-4 works directly with EPA to develop data required for the registration of pest management tools for specialty crops. After developing required research data, IR-4 submits petitions to EPA for tolerance registrations.
- NC State UniversitycoreIR-4 headquarters transitioned to NC State University effective October 1, 2021. The university provides administrative support, office space, and academic resources for IR-4 operations.
- University of FloridacoreHosts the Southern Region IR-4 office at the Gainesville campus. Regional Field Coordinator Kristen Searer-Jones leads efforts to address pest management needs for specialty crop growers in the Southern Region.
- University of MarylandcoreHosts the Northeast Region IR-4 office at the Lower Eastern Shore Research & Education Center in Salisbury. Regional Field Coordinator Megan Hickman serves Northeast Region growers.
- University of California, DaviscoreHosts the Western Region IR-4 office. Regional Field Coordinator Kari Arnold and Assistant Coordinator Mika Tolson lead Western Region efforts covering California and Western states.
- Michigan State UniversitycoreHosts the North Central Region IR-4 office. Regional Field Coordinator Nicole Soldan leads efforts for the North Central Region, which includes multiple midwestern states.
- USDA-ARS US Vegetable LaboratorycoreUSDA Agricultural Research Service facility in Charleston, SC. Alvin Simmons leads IR-4 research activities at this federal research facility.
- Minor Use FoundationmajorEstablished in 2018 with the mission of expanding and harmonizing international MRLs to break down trade barriers for agricultural products. IR-4 collaborates with the foundation on global priority setting and international capacity building.
- Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in AgriculturesupportingPartnership focused on regulatory science excellence for agriculture, supporting IR-4's mission to facilitate regulatory approvals for pest management technology.
- NSF Center for Integrated Pest ManagementsupportingCollaborative partner for integrated pest management research and knowledge sharing across IPM centers.
- Regional Integrated Pest Management CenterssupportingNorth Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western IPM Centers collaborate with IR-4 on research coordination and pest management initiatives.
- Health Canada-Pest Management Regulatory AuthoritysupportingInternational partner for pesticide MRL harmonization and regulatory cooperation for minor use pesticides between the US and Canada.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada-Pest Management CentresupportingCanadian counterpart to IR-4, working on collaborative efforts for global minor use pesticide harmonization and MRL standards.
- Department of Defense - Deployed Warfighter Protection ProgramsupportingPartnership to provide regulatory support for public health pesticides through the DWFP program.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The IR-4 Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Regional IPM Centers (North Central, Northeastern, Southern, Western): USDA-NIFA-funded regional IPM Centers collaborate directly with IR-4 on research coordination and pest management initiatives. They operate the same multi-region, university-hosted model with overlapping grower and commodity stakeholder engagement.
- Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA): A regulatory science partner organization working to advance data quality and regulatory frameworks for agricultural products. The peer relationship with IR-4 is explicitly disclosed as a partnership to facilitate pesticide technology approvals.
- Minor Use Foundation: Established in 2018 with IR-4 involvement, the Minor Use Foundation pursues a nearly identical mission of expanding and harmonizing international MRLs and supporting global specialty crop trade. It is the closest peer, differentiated mainly by its international and capacity-building orientation versus IR-4's domestic US focus.
- NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management: Also housed at NC State University and listed as an IR-4 partner, this center coordinates IPM research and extension. It shares IR-4's pest management orientation and North Carolina institutional base, serving complementary rather than overlapping roles.
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC): AAFC-PMC is IR-4's direct Canadian counterpart, conducting minor use pesticide research and generating data for Canadian registrations. It is explicitly identified by IR-4 as a partner on global MRL harmonization and is functionally a national twin of IR-4.
Others
- CropLife America: Industry trade association representing major agrochemical registrants that participate in IR-4's Industry Technology Session and submit product candidates for IR-4 study. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant — not a research peer, but a critical partner on the registrant side of IR-4's workflow.
Broad incumbents
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS): USDA-ARS is IR-4's primary federal research partner and co-funds and co-executes studies (e.g., US Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC). It is a much larger umbrella research agency with broader agricultural science scope, but the IPM and pesticide workstreams materially overlap with IR-4.
- U.S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP): IR-4's primary regulatory counterpart and the federal agency to which IR-4 submits tolerance petitions. OPP is the larger statutory authority that IR-4's work feeds into; comparison illuminates IR-4's positioning as a research/registration-support body rather than a regulator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The IR-4 Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe IR-4 Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The IR-4 Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
The IR-4 Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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The IR-4 Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about The IR-4 Project
What does The IR-4 Project do?
The IR-4 Project conducts field research and laboratory analyses to generate the residue, efficacy, and crop safety data that the U.S. EPA requires to register pest management products (conventional pesticides and biopesticides) for specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and ornamentals, as well as for minor uses on major crops. Its deliverables include EPA tolerance petitions, regulatory submissions, and maintained searchable databases of registered uses.
Is The IR-4 Project a public or private company?
The IR-4 Project is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The IR-4 Project founded?
The IR-4 Project was founded in 1963. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The IR-4 Project based?
The IR-4 Project is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does The IR-4 Project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. USDA NIFA Grants are the primary driver. The others are cooperative Research Agreements.
Who are The IR-4 Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Regional IPM Centers (North Central, Northeastern, Southern, Western), Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science in Agriculture (CERSA), Minor Use Foundation, NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC). CropLife America is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and U.S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP).
Does The IR-4 Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The IR-4 Project.
What industry is The IR-4 Project in?
The IR-4 Project's product category is Agricultural Research and Pesticide Regulatory Support. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAEAO, Biologicals Regulatory, Testing & Quality Assurance Services, with a secondary code of IMAEAEAI, Crop Protection Chemicals (Herbicides/Insecticides/Fungicides). Its NAICS code is 924 and its SIC code is 700.