Todd Scholz is vice president of research and member services for USA Pulses, which until last year was known as the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council. This year Todd will retire after 26 years with the organization. He joins us today to talk about the industry’s work in getting more crop protection tools labeled for pulse crop growers. USA Pulses is a nonprofit organization that has been pushing for pulses in our food system since 1965. Their work supports over 5,000 growers, processors, and exporters across the US, working from field to fork to strengthen the industry and highlight the value of pulses worldwide. Todd’s job as vice president for research and member services is to take research needs from producers/industry and try to marry it with researchers and funding to answer the need to be able to raise the crop. Today, Todd discusses USA Pulse’s research priorities, their involvement with the IR-4 program and that program’s importance for pulse crop growers, global harmonization of maximum residue limits and some reflections from his 26 years in his role.

“ There's an organization called IR-4. It was created in the sixties, and its purpose was to provide the link for specialty crops to get access to pesticides. Generally, when a registrant or a pesticide company wants to label a pesticide, they look for easy returns. So that's corn, soybeans, maybe wheat and other major crops. And so the specialty crops get ignored. So the IR-4 was organized and formed and its history is so amazing. It started with one guy, a desk, and maybe a secretary. And now it's about a $15 million program.” - Todd Scholz

This Week on Growing Pulse Crops:

• Meet Todd Scholz, vice president of research and member services for USA Pulses
• Explore the industry’s work in getting more crop protection tools labeled for pulse crop growers.
• Discover the IR-4 Program and its importance for pulse crop growers

Growing Pulse Crops is produced by Dr. Audrey Kalil and hosted by Tim Hammerich of the Future of Agriculture Podcast.