About the Event
The 2026 Food Use Workshop will be held September 15-17 in Austin, Texas. Research priorities for residue and product performance studies for 2027 will be identified during this workshop. We will update this page regularly as the event approaches. Registration and hotel booking information are now available below.
NEW for 2026: IR-4 is hosting a Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar for first-time workshop attendees (or those who need a refresher on the process) virtually on August 6. Scroll down for more info & a registration link.
Workshop Registration
Registration is now open for the 2026 Food Use Workshop! The following rates are applicable for both in-person and virtual attendees:
Early Bird Rate: $400 through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 27
Regular Registration Rate: $500 on or after midnight on Friday, August 28
Thursday, September 3, is the final day to request a cancellation and refund for the Workshop. The Zoom link for the workshop will be sent to registered participants after this date.
Register here (or use the button to the right) if you are not affiliated with NC State University. If you are affiliated with NC State University, please contact Donna Bouffard to register (via IDT): dbouffard@ncsu.edu.
If you have any questions or issues regarding registration, get in touch with Donna Bouffard: dbouffard@ncsu.edu.
HERE is a document to guide you through the registration portal step-by-step.
Hotel and Travel Information
The 2026 Food Use Workshop will take place at the DoubleTree Austin.
Booking a Room:
A block of hotel rooms at the DoubleTree Austin is available for our in-person meeting attendees from September 13-17. Rooms must be reserved by Friday, August 14 to receive the group rate of $173/night plus a mandatory charge of 3% per room, totaling $179/night.
Check in is at 4 p.m.; check out is at 12 p.m.
If you need assistance modifying your existing reservation, please contact Donna Bouffard: dbouffard@ncsu.edu.
Airport:
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Hotel Transportation and Parking:
The hotel does not offer an airport shuttle. We recommend using a taxi or rideshare service. The airport’s ground transportation page has additional information.
For those driving, the hotel is offering self-parking at a discounted rate of $10.00 per night for FUW attendees.
Workshop Materials
Here is a tentative agenda for the event; the final agenda will be available later this summer.
Pre-workshop nomination lists, prioritization lists, and presentations will be posted as they become available. Find 2025 materials on last year’s event page, and previous FUW materials here.
Important Dates
- July 1: Deadline to submit Project Clearance Requests (Food Crop Program)
- August 14-24: Project Clearance Requests are eligible for nomination online until 11:59 pm ET on August 24
- August 14: Hotel room block cutoff for the Food Use Workshop
- August 28: Registration rate increases (early bird rate valid through 11:59 pm on Aug. 27; regular rate effective at or after midnight on Aug. 28)
- September 1: Final day to request a cancellation and refund
- September 4 (by 12 p.m. ET): The list of nominated projects will be posted on the public website
- September 15-17: Food Use Workshop
New for 2026: Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar
Are you new to IR-4’s Food Use Workshop, or looking to brush up on the process before joining us in September? This year, IR-4 is hosting a Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar on Thursday, August 6, from 12-12:45 p.m. ET. Designed to help new or returning workshop attendees, this session will give you the tools and confidence to participate actively.
IR-4’s Food Use Workshop (FUW) is entirely stakeholder-driven. We welcome and rely on input from across the specialty crop community, and we encourage everyone to join! However, we know jumping into a new process can feel daunting. Topics reviewed in this webinar will include:
- FUW 101: What the workshop is and how it fits into IR-4’s research cycle
- Before the Workshop: The online nomination period before the workshop
- The Basics: FUW terminology and navigating the agenda
- Strategy: Impactfully advocating & collaborating to champion top priorities
- Support: Helpful resources, contacts & other reminders
Join us virtually on August 6 to learn more and prepare to confidently participate. Bring your questions, as we’ll have panelists from across IR-4 to share their perspectives.
Registration is free but required to receive the Zoom link. Register here or via the green button below.
Learn How to Participate: Tutorials + Handouts
Utilize these resources & video tutorials to support your participation in the workshop:
- Video: The Food Use Workshop Process (please note: Integrated Solutions research is now paused and will not be part of the 2026 FUW program)
- FUW Terminology Handout (2026 version coming soon!)
- IR-4 Research Cycle Handout
- Crop Group Table
- EPA: Factors for IR-4 Public Interest Finding (includes weight-of-evidence factors)
- USDA: What is a Specialty Crop?
Join Us as a Sponsor
Sponsors make events like the Food Use Workshop possible and help IR-4 deliver on its grower-focused mission.
Are you interested in becoming a sponsor for IR-4’s 2026 events? Please contact ir-4_project@ncsu.edu for more information.
