Missouri Sets Cutoff Date for Engenia Dicamba Herbicide

The Missouri Department of Agriculture issued a Special Local Need label for Engenia in what they call “proactive measure to reduce off-target crop injury.” The Department says similar labels will be provided for Xtendimax and FeXapan soon.

“Our intent in issuing the Special Local Need label is to protect this technology for the future,” Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said. “We thoroughly reviewed the new label restrictions agreed upon by EPA and the registrants, and as much research data as possible to come to this decision that I believe will protect the product and the producers.”

The restrictions call for application only by certified applicators with required training, applicators must complete an online dicamba notice of application daily before applying the product, cannot apply dicamba before 7:30 a.m. or after 5:30 p.m. and issues an application cutoff date. Farmers in Dunklin, Pemiscot, New Madrid, Stoddard, Scott, Mississippi, Butler, Ripley, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties cannot use the product after June 1, 2018. All other counties must stop use after July 15, 2018.

The Department says it took into account feedback from growers and other stakeholders from the 2017 season.

“We are committed to working together and collaboratively with weed science and regulatory bodies and we’re going to continue to work together,” says Scott Kay BASF vice president U.S. crop protection division.  “[We’re training applicators on] understanding what the label says and why it says that. We’re working closely with state agencies to make sure everyone understands the intricacies and label requirements.”