Global Minor Use Summit IV

Madrid, Spain

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Dirk Drost, Ph.D.

Board Chairman

Minor Use Foundation

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Minor Use Foundation

Opening & Welcome

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Welcome to GMUS IV

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Minor Use Foundation

Why do I volunteer?

• When I retired from Syngenta in April 2019 I had a dream to continue my interest in specialty crops and contribute to pest management technology.
• I’d spent 2+ yrs in Philippines during graduate school. Wouldn’t it be nice to end my career and return to an international focus…. 
• I didn’t know how that would happen….then the Foundation came along….
• It’s satisfying to see the Foundation growth since 2019 – in spite of the challenges…..pandemic, fund raising and starting operations…we are fulfilling the mission by hosting the GMUS IV; convening discussions with stakeholders and donors; and identifying and addressing MRL issues.
• We are united in our commitment to specialty crops and minor uses and working together to reduce trade barriers and increase pest management alternatives for growers. 

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Minor Use Foundation

Topics for today

• Mission of MuF:
• We are a not-for-profit Research Foundation working in collaboration with global partners to gain/maintain CODEX MRLs, support/implement capacity building and identify and deliver priorities for pest management tools and to enhance trade.
• Facts of interest:
• Chartered in 2018, started work in 2019
• Now have 11 staff/contractors
• Donors include government agencies and for profit organizations
• Voluntary Board of Directors- 6 members
• Next phase of growth:
• Further expansion of our programs aligned with resource availability
• Appointment of First Executive Director

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Minor Use Foundation

Executive Director

• On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Anna Gore as the Executive Director effective February 1, 2024.
• Anna has served as Operations Director since May 2022 and has demonstrated the ability to lead, listen, understand and represent the Foundation.
• The Board of Directors is confident that Anna will lead the organization into the future and fulfill its mission to gain/maintain CODEX MRLs, support capacity building, build partnerships, and facilitate global priority setting.
• Please join me in welcoming Anna Gore as our Executive Director

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Minor Use Foundation

Anna Gore

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• Ms. Anna Gore, Executive Director
• anna.gore@minorusefoundation.org
• +1 860 306 5481

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Minor Use Foundation

MUF Team

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Next speakers

• Jerry Baron, Ph.D — historical context of Foundation and partnerships with IR4
• Dan Kunkel, Ph.D – accomplishments/highlights of prior Global Minor Use Summits
• Michael Braverman, Ph.D – challenges/accomplishments of international data generation projects
• Jason Sandahl — growth and success of MRL regulatory capacity building program at USDA-FAS
• Alan Norden – opportunities in future regulatory partnerships
• Q&A to follow moderated by Dirk Drost

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Additional Welcome

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Jerry Baron, Ph.D.

Executive Director of IR-4 Project

Chair Emertis of Minor Use Foundation

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Minor Use Foundation

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Why am I here?

• Director of IR-4, the world’s first and largest Minor Use Program

>IR-4 celebrated 60 year anniversary in 2023.

>Data to supported 2300 registrations

• I am passionate about horticulture pest management

>Spent the last 42 years working in this area

>38 years with IR-4

• Chair of First Global Minor Use Summit in 2007
• Led establishment of the Minor Use Foundation in 2018

We have come a long way

• Mid-1990’s

>Cooperation between IR-4 and Germany

>Joint work with IR-4 and Canada Hort. Council

>IR-4 consult with Canada govt. PMC (1998)

• Early 2000’s

>Significant global interest in learning the IR-4 model

>USDA-FAS and IR-4 discovered each other

• Shared vision with EPA of a Global Summit to bring all together in central location to help solve Minor Use Problem

>First Global Minor Use Summit at UN-FAO HQ

December 2007

We have come a long way

• GMUS-1 set the stage for global cooperation
• Outcomes:

>Crop Grouping,

>Zoning,

>Data Sharing

>Capacity Development

>Minor Use Foundation

Establishment of Minor Use Foundation

• Success from 1^st GMUS More interest in cooperation

>IR-4 did not have adequate resources to lead

>USDA provided funds to IR-4 to establish MUF

• MUF chartered in 2017/approved in 2018 as Not-For-Profit organization

>Limited resources-All volunteer work by mostly IR-4

>Pilot projects and capacity building

• I stepped down as Chair in 2019 Dirk Drost took over.

>Passion for the solving the issue

>Vision to grow the organization

Final Thoughts

• Proud of what has been accomplished; how original vision has turned into reality
• MUF Foundation is in good hands

>Anna Gore—Shared passion

• At 1^st GMUS the following was shared-still relevant today

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Henry Ford quote -“Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Thank You!

Why do I volunteer?��

• I come from the farm…
• I know the importance of the work – nearly 30 years at IR-4
• Support from my employer
• Feed the growing population

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Daniel Kunkel,PhD��Exec. Treasurer MUF �

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Global Minor Use Summits I and II �2007 and 2012 – FAO HQ in Rome

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Action Items from GMUS I�

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Global Minor Use Summit II�

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Global Priority Setting Workshop�Fall of 2015 Chicago…

Global Minor Use Summit II�

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Global Minor Use Summit III�Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2017

• Cooperation - minor use champions from regions
• Crop needs with further priority meetings
• promote simultaneous reviews
• foster mutual recognition,
• MRLs - Publish a list of exempt substances and compounds of no toxicological concern.
• adoption of APEC like procedures to establish MRLs
• Compile list of incentives and encourage further adoption and expansion by other countries
• Crop grouping – continue with Codex update and encourage other authorities to follow
• Communication, Capacity Building
• Regulatory Assessment – Wider adoption of guideline and guidance.. Codex/JMPR, OECD APEC etc.

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Codex Guidance Documents

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Accomplishments examples

• Codex Electronic Working Group on Minor Uses and Specialty Crops 2009-2016…
• Defining Minor Uses – failed However…..
• 2015 Codex - Guidance to Facilitate the Establishment of MRLs for Pesticides for Minor Crops – Chaired by France
• based on GEMS Food Cluster data, based on consumption levels
• CXG 84-2012 Principles and Guidance on the Selection of Representative Commodities for the Extrapolation of Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides to Commodity Group
• Update to EPA and PMRA crop grouping schemes (and was a harmonized process).
• US and NLCXG 97-2022 Guidelines for the Recognition of Active Substances or Authorized Uses of Active Substances of Low Public Health Concern that are Considered Exempted from the Establishment of Maximum Residue Limits or do not give rise to Residues. Chile.
• # of CXLs established

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Accomplishments examples

• OECD Expert Group on Minor Uses – 2007
• Report of the OECD Pesticide Risk Reduction Group Seminar on Minor Uses and Pesticide Risk Reduction�{Series on Pesticides, No. 26 - ENV/JM/MONO(2005)4}
• Survey of the Pesticide Risk Reduction Steering Group on Minor Uses of Pesticides�{Series on Pesticides, No. 38 - ENV/JM/MONO(2007)12}
• Publication of the OECD Guidance Document on Defining Minor Uses of Pesticides�{Series on Pesticides, No. 49 - ENV/JM/MONO(2009)39}
• Guidance Document on Regulatory Incentives for the Registration of Pesticide Minor Uses {Series on Pesticides, No. 63 - ENV/JM/MONO(2011)16}
• OECD Guidance Document on addressing minor uses Series on Pesticides No. 113 - 2023

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And many other accomplisments…

• My vision for the future
• is those of you here.
• Many of the faces we have seen at other summits and
• many new faces.
• Understand the importance of this work to support growers and provide nutritious food to a growing population.

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Thank you.

• Challenges and Accomplishments of International Data Generation Projects

Michael Braverman, Ph.D.

Manager, IR-4 Biopesticide, Organic Support and International Capacity Building.

Member BoD, Minor Use Foundation

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Government

Regulatory

Agency

Stakeholders

Lab capabilities

Field capabilities

Efficacy

Projects Finalized

JMPR cycle and review

CODEX MRL

Calibration of a sprayer you have no experience with.

Calibrate a brand new sprayer?

First GLP trial Malaysia - >99% of the target application rate

Vietnam- Changing from observer to participant STDF.

Vietnam –Reducing sample size.

Training Video – Global Tomato Study

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o23QUBJm7rc 

Government

Regulatory

Agency

Stakeholders

Lab capabilities

Field capabilities

Efficacy

Projects Finalized

JMPR cycle and review

CODEX MRL

Dirk: Michael, we have funding for a regional workshop, but we need to complete it in a few months.

What have we accomplished?

Large number of field and laboratory scientists trained. Implementing GLP quality to pass JMPR review. Instilling confidence and promoting self actualization in developing countries.

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Establishing new CODEX and regional MRLs and mitigating residues to meet existing MRLs.

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Development of regional and global needs based project prioritization systems.

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Biopesticide regulatory infrastructure and harmonization.

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Utilizing existing data sets/archives and adding a few trials to establish new MRLs.

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Import MRL exchange program. Helps US exports and international imports.

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Gaining a better understanding of JMPR reviews.

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Establishment of global networks and cooperative partners.

How to increase efficiency?

Residue studies- One study one MRL for one product on one crop- SLOW.

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Crop grouping- greatly expand MRL, but will registrant label whole group?

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Trial stacking.

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All the above depend on developing new CODEX MRLs difficult to increase efficiency.

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Residue mitigation- Increase the PHI by replacing last spray with biopesticide.

Why do I volunteer to the MUF?

I spent a year on a Fulbright Scholarship to Thailand during graduate school. Wouldn’t it be nice to add an international focus. 

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I enjoy different cultures, food, and people.

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I love a challenge.

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Impacting global trade benefiting US growers and cooperators.

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I learned in 1^st grade that the most essential things in life are food, water and shelter. There is nothing more satisfying than making the world a better place by improving nutrition through the availability of food. 

Thank You!

mbrave@sebs.rutgers.edu

• Why am I passionate about the Minor Use Foundation?

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Jason F. Sandahl, PhD

CEO

Ag Aligned Global, LLC

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Board Member: Jason Sandahl

Regulatory Capacity Building

• Regulatory alignment is essential for developing countries to gain access to new products
• USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has prioritized capacity building efforts in the area of pesticide regulatory systems
• The Minor Use Foundation directly impacts and improves livelihoods of farmers

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Board Member: Jason Sandahl

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Board Member: Jason Sandahl

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2023

Board Member: Jason Sandahl

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• Why I volunteer?

Alan Norden

Secretary

Australia

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Board Member: Alan Norden

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• Joined MUF mid 2020
• All started for me 30 years ago – “thrown in the deep end”
• Assessing minor use applications in the Australian regulatory agency
• Little experience or knowledge
• Wide diversity of crops, lots of needs, very little data
• Spent a lot of time visiting and meeting with affected growers and agricultural extension staff etc. learning needs and practices
• Shared our challenges, built trust, respect, and friendships

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Board Member: Alan Norden

• Minor use successes come from partnerships, collaboration and generally helping one another - working together to deliver solutions
• Utilising expert judgement, international data and extrapolation
• Most minor use needs are very safe, represent less risk than already approved uses BUT are simply ‘not assessed’
• Thousands of safe minor uses waiting to be realised
• Does some Government legislation and our general approach to enabling authorisations make it unnecessarily difficult?
• Are we maximising our assessments in major crops to their full extent?

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Board Member: Alan Norden

• In a global setting there has been much use of the words like ‘harmonization’, ‘data sharing’, ‘reduced duplication’, ‘mutual recognition’
• Some progress has been made, but not close to what our predecessors envisaged
• Opportunity exists to ask why, what issues are preventing this and how do we address them
• Looking for outcomes that have long term benefits and facilitate minor use authorisations
• Looking for the “game-changers” (new approaches, models, tools, etc.)
• Your challenge at GMUS4 is to help identify and deliver those solutions

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Thank you!

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