BA supports IR-4 Funding

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The Brewers Association announces its support for the retention of separate line item funding for the IR-4 Minor Crop Project. The initial 2013 federal budget proposes incorporating dedicated IR-4 Project funding into a consolidated Crop Protection category, leaving IR-4 without dedicated funding. IR-4 would be forced to compete with many other programs which support major crops, and could be defunded altogether.

The IR-4 Project was established to help growers of small specialty crops obtain the registration of crop protection products essential to fighting plant disease and pests. For brewers the project has been extremely valuable in supporting the production of both hops and barley which are two essential ingredients in beer. The IR-4 Project fulfills a crucial need since minor crop protection product registrations do not always receive the crop protection industry’s support due to economic reasons.

The BA joins various state and national hop and barley grower and supplier associations and commissions in supporting dedicated IR-4 funding. For more information on the IR-4 Project including the benefits of maintaining its funding, visit Save the IR-4 Project.