Dear Friends, 
We are pleased to share with you the results of the 2020 IR-4 Priority Setting Workshop. The workshop was held in a virtual format from Monday, September 14 to Thursday, September 17. During the four-day workshop, the 200-plus participants established IR-4’s research priorities for residue studies (40), product performance research (9) and integrated solutions projects (10). Not everyone got what they wanted but the process was fair and transparent and the projects selected are all important to the specialty crop producers.
The saying “It takes a Village” is so true when it came to this Priority Setting Workshop. Many were involved in the planning and execution. From IR-4 HQ; Van Starner, Dan Kunkel, Roger Batts, Venkat Pedibhotla, Thomas Pike, Kathryn Homa, Susan Bierbrunner, Krystal Chojnacki, Debbie Carpenter and the team of study directors. From the Regions, Marylee Ross, Megan James, Janine Spies, Anthony VanWoerkom, Michael Horak, Stephen Flanagan, and Mika Tolson. Others involved include members of IR-4’s COVID-19 Task Force that served as the de facto Workshop Organization Committee. Finally special thanks to the Fountainworks team (Warren Miller and Maddie Shea) who help assist and provide advice on the technology.
IR-4 does reserve some a small amount of resources as a safety net to cover some isolated priorities not chosen during the workshop. Please contact your IR-4 Regional Field Coordinator who will champion upgrade proposals if there is a project you wish to be considered for upgrade.
In closing, we thank all who participated in this process including our 2020 sponsors* for their time, energy and knowledge to direct IR-4 resources to the most important specialty crop needs.
Jerry Baron
Executive Director
IR-4 Project
North Carolina State University
PO Box 7643
Raleigh, NC 27695-7643
jjbaron@ncsu.edu
Cell: 908-627-4213
*
