10 Dicamba Stories Highlight Its Journey Of Use In 2018
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will renew the label for over-the-top application of dicamba in soybeans and cotton through December 2020. The EPA said it considered several different sources of input before making the decision, which addressed concerns of off-target movement. Here’s a recap of some of our most-read dicamba stories from 2018.
January 24, 2018 Planting Outlook For Dicamba-Tolerant Soybeans
In mid-January 2018, Farm Journal surveyed farmers on whether they intend to plant dicamba-tolerant soybeans in 2018. Of the 1,036 farmers who responded, 40% (411) said they plan to grow them this season. Forty-nine (508) percent of farmers responded that they've decided to not grow them, and 11% (117) are still undecided.
In the fall of 2017, Monsanto said in "light of demand, the company and its licensing partners would have enough supply of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans for up to half of all U.S. soybean acres for the 2018 season,” potentially doubling the number of acres planted to dicamba-tolerant soybeans in 2017. Read more here.
March 26, 2018 Monarch Exposure Jeopardizes Dicamba Use
“Dicamba in small doses doesn’t outright kill milkweeds, but it does reduce growth and other things that impact animals that feed off those plants,” says Nathan Donley, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. He authored a recent report. Find out more here.
July 18, 2018 Dicamba Application Cutoff Looms
In 2018, label guidelines stopped applications at R2. In many areas, soybeans were at or near R2, with the northernmost soybean growing region and double crop soybeans possibly a little behind. It was critical to know label and state dicamba application requirements. If soybeans are past label or state restrictions, don’t spray, consider other options. The requirements have changed for the 2019 season, compare with last year’s here.
July 26, 2018 Experts Update Estimates Of Off-Target Movement
As of July 15, farmers, homeowners and others filed 605 official complaints of suspected dicamba damage with state departments of agriculture across soybean growing states. That number reflected soybeans and all other specialty crops including vegetable plants, fruit trees, ornamentals, trees, etc.
However, university Extension experts estimate that not all cases of off-target movement have been reported. They estimate 1.1 million total acres of soybeans alone have received damage in 2018. That included Arkansas, which had an in-season dicamba ban, at 400,000 estimated acres of damage with 155 official complaints. Review mid-season damage here.
October 15, 2018 Dicamba Trials To Start October 2019
The first trial alleging dicamba-based herbicides caused widespread damage after drifting across fields will start next year, according to Reuters. The case is a multidistrict litigation.
October 31, 2018 Dicamba Registration Extended To 2020, Additional Restrictions Apply
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it would extend over-the-top use of dicamba in cotton and soybeans until Dec. 20, 2020. The agency said it considered several different sources of input before making this decision.
“EPA understands that dicamba is a valuable pest control tool for America’s farmers,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler in a press release. “By extending the registration for another two years with important new label updates that place additional restrictions on the product, we are providing certainty to all stakeholders for the upcoming growing season.”
November 2, 2018 Industry Experts React To Dicamba Registration Renewal
Not everyone in the industry was 100% satisfied with the new label changes.
“As I’ve said before, the EPA is in a very difficult position in regulating this technology—whatever they do is going to be criticized by some people,” said Bob Hartzler, Iowa State University Extension weed scientist in a recent blog post. “Unfortunately, I don’t think these new restrictions will have a significant impact on the problems we’ve seen the past two years.”
Learn more about what Extension and industry want to know about 2019 dicamba use here.
November 8, 2018 NAICC: The Future Of Resistance Management
In the past 10 years, attempts to bring new products to market have been met with obstacles that have delayed the availability of critical tools for farmers. It is clear we cannot rely solely on the promise of new products. Proper resistance-management practices are key to maintaining current and future weed control systems. As a result, emphasizing grower education is increasingly critical for the sustainability of modern agriculture. Read more here.
November 21, 2018 Case Serves As A Reminder Of The Importance Stewardship
A 53-count federal indictment was announced against Bobby David Lowrey, 51, of Parma. He is accused of illegally applying dicamba on his cotton and soybean crops outside of Environmental Protection Agency guidelines, and lying to investigators when confronted about it.
"Although weed killers like Dicamba have been around for decades, it is critical that applicators follow manufacturer instructions when applying them," EPA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Martinez said in a statement. "The misuse of this product has resulted in significant crop damage at neighboring farms."
Visit this site to learn more about this case.
Be armed with knowledge in 2019 Tools Available For Dicamba Application
