We are excited to announce in 2016 the Rutgers NJAES Snyder Research and Extension Farm was designated as an IR-4 Field Research Center. The IR-4 project is sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture through an act of Congress to assist specialty crop farmers in gaining EPA approval for safe and effective biological and chemical pesticides needed to grow crops. Jennifer Fisher and the Rutgers NJAES Snyder Research and Extension Farm have the responsibility for conducting IR-4 trials in the IR-4 Region One (Northeastern United States).
Specialty crops such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, and ornamentals are the primary crops serviced. IR-4 programs benefit specialty crop farmers in producing high-quality, reasonably priced horticultural crops. Specialty crop farmers are generally not represented adequately in the EPA approval process of crop protection chemicals (including biologicals and conventional pesticides). Through the IR-4 program smaller acreage specialty crop farmers are able to employ pest control tools to effectively produce their crops.
To learn more, visit the IR-4 Project website.