Introduction to IRAC

The Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) was formed in 1984 and works as a specialist technical group of the industry association CropLife, providing a coordinated industry response to prevent or delay the development of resistance in insect and mite pests. There are IRAC country group committees in many parts of the world researching and responding to local resistance issues as well as IRAC International which operates at a global level.

Our mission

• Facilitate communication and education on resistance to insecticides and insect-resistant traits.
• Promote and facilitate development and implementation of resistance management strategies to maintain efficacy and support sustainable agriculture and improved public health.

IRAC Structure & Organisation

IRAC is comprised of key technical personnel from the agrochemical and public health companies normally affiliated with CropLife through membership in the relevant National Associations (ECPA, CropLife America etc). The committees are organised as a network of Country or Regional groups with IRAC International acting in a coordinating role and through a large number of teams and working groups.

Member companies of IRAC International Executive are ADAMA, BASF, Bayer CropScience, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, Mitsui Chemicals, Nihon Nohyaku, Sumitomo Chemical, Syngenta and UPL with other companies and local experts members of the Working Groups and Country Teams.

IRAC Objectives

IRAC is dedicated to prolonging the effectiveness of insecticides and acaracides by countering resistance. The discussions, minutes and recommendations of IRAC relate specifically and solely to technical matters. Companies are free to follow their own commercial strategies against the background of recommendations given and accepted.

The main aims of IRAC are to facilitate communication and education on insecticide resistance and to promote the development of resistance management strategies so as to maintain efficacy and support sustainable agriculture and improved public health. It is IRAC’s view that such activities are the best way to preserve or regain the susceptibility to insecticides that is so vital to effective pest management. In general, it is usually easier to proactively prevent resistance occurring than it is to reactively regain susceptibility.

Further information on the structure and running of IRAC can be found on the Executive Team page.