2026 Food Use Workshop

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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.

REGISTER HERE

Follow this tutorial for help with the registration process.

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.

BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE

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 6: Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar
  • 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

The IR-4 Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar was held on Thursday, August 6, to help new and returning participants prepare for the 2026 IR-4 Food Use Workshop.

Designed as an introduction to the Food Use Workshop (FUW) process, the webinar covered:

  • 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 

The IR-4 Food Use Workshop is entirely stakeholder-driven, and input from across the specialty crop community is essential to establishing research priorities. Whether you’re attending for the first time or returning after previous participation, we encourage you to get involved.

If you were unable to attend the Orientation Webinar, HERE is a link to the presentation and we look forward to seeing you at the 2026 Food Use Workshop.

Food Use Workshop Orientation Webinar Recording

Learn How to Participate: Tutorials + Handouts

Utilize these resources & video tutorials to support your participation in the workshop:

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.