USEPA launches innovation challenge to advance alternatives to crop desiccants

The USEPA announced a $30 million innovation challenge to find science-based alternatives to chemical crop desiccation. It supports practical, cost-effective alternatives to conventional chemical crop desiccation. The Request for Information (RFI) will shape the design of the challenge—including its scope, who can take part, how entries will be judged, and how new ideas will be tested in the field. The agency is particularly interested in cost-effective solutions that maintain or improve harvest readiness, crop quality, and operational efficiency across a range of crop systems, including small grains, pulses, oilseeds, potatoes, and cotton.

The USEPA is seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders, including growers, producer organizations, equipment manufacturers, researchers, public health experts, environmental organizations, Tribes and territories, state and local agencies, and any interested member of the public.

The agency is also requesting feedback on barriers to adoption, research gaps, equipment needs, supply chain considerations, and the performance standards necessary for viable alternatives. In addition, the USEPA welcomes recommendations on challenge design, including prize structure, phased development approaches, and eligible uses of prize funding.

For more information, search for EPA-HQ-OPP-2026-3862 at www.regulations.gov once it is posted. Read the pre-publication RFI.