Dicamba Herbicide Ban in Arkansas Causing Drift In Places You Need To Know

Dicamba Herbicide Ban in Arkansas

 Georgia Turf Magazine.........The state earlier this year approved a temporary ban on the herbicide’s sale and use, and has received nearly 1,000 complaints this year about dicamba. The panel backed the ban after hearing from 37 people at a public hearing, and said it’s received more than 29,000 written comments.

Farmers are in questioning about the Dicamba Herbicide Drift

 The Arkansas Plant Board on Wednesday approved prohibiting the use of dicamba in the state between April 16 and Oct. 31. The ban includes several exemptions, including for pastures and home use, and now heads to a legislative panel.

After the weed killer drew complaints from farmers across several states who say it has drifted onto their crops and caused widespread damage.

Just recent The Trump administration has reached a deal with three major agribusiness companies for new voluntary labeling requirements for a controversial herbicide blamed for damaging crops.

Dicamba Drift

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday, Oct. 13, its agreement with Monsanto, BASF and DuPont regarding the application of dicamba, which is used to control weeds in fields of genetically modified cotton and soybeans. 

Farmers who don't buy the special resistant seeds sold by the herbicide makers have complained that dicamba sprayed on neighboring properties drifts over and harms their crops, resulting in temporary bans issued last summer by state officials in Arkansas and Missouri.

"EPA carefully reviewed the available information and developed tangible changes to be implemented during the 2018 growing season," the agency said in a media release. "This is an example of cooperative federalism that leads to workable national-level solutions."

Under the deal, dicamba products will be labeled as "restricted use" beginning with the 2018 growing season, requiring additional training and certifications for workers applying the product to crops. The new rules will also limit when and how the herbicide can be sprayed, such as time of day and when maximum winds are blowing below 10 mph. Farmers will be required to maintain specific records showing their compliance with the new restrictions.