Federal Register #EPA-HQ-OPP-2026-3862

EPA Innovation Challenge: Alternatives to Conventional Pesticide Desiccants for Crops

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input to inform the development of an Innovation Challenge for alternatives to conventional pesticide chemicals used in crop desiccation. - Government Buyer: - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors named; input is sought from a broad range of stakeholders including equipment manufacturers, input suppliers, researchers, and food/feed companies - Products/Services Requested: - Solicitation of information and ideas for practical, cost-effective alternatives to conventional pesticide desiccants - Potential solutions include: - Non-conventional pesticide desiccants - Agronomic strategies - Mechanical or physical methods - Biological approaches (e.g., plant breeding innovations) - Precision agriculture tools - Postharvest conditioning technologies - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Focus on reducing reliance on conventional chemical desiccants while maintaining harvest readiness, crop quality, and operational efficiency - Input requested on barriers, needs, program design, funding uses, phasing, award structure, and evaluation criteria - Total prize pool for the challenge is $30 million - Challenge may include pilot or demonstration components

Description

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input to develop an Innovation Challenge aimed at identifying practical and cost-effective alternatives to conventional pesticide chemicals used for crop desiccation. The goal is to reduce reliance on traditional desiccants while maintaining harvest readiness and crop quality. The challenge will focus on alternatives such as non-conventional pesticide desiccants, agronomic strategies, mechanical or physical methods, biological approaches, precision agriculture tools, and postharvest conditioning technologies. Input from various stakeholders will help shape the challenge's scope, eligibility, evaluation criteria, and potential pilot or demonstration components.

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