Dicamba Gets the Boot

Voices throughout the ag community blew up last week when news of a recent dicamba ruling hit the fan and began to drift across the country.

Dicamba out: Early last week, an Arizona-based U.S. district judge vacateddicamba’s 2020 registrations, basically handing the herbicide its pink slip. The decision centered around procedural snafus by the EPA. In his opinion, Judge David Bury noted that “the EPA did not afford notice, comment, or any opportunity for hearing when it issued the 2020 dicamba registrations.”

According to the ruling, the EPA violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) when it failed to comply with the comment procedure before allowing over-the-top (OTT) use of the herbicide.

As a result of the ruling, registrations for Bayer’s Xtendimax, BASF’s Engenia, and Syngenta’s Tavium are now gone. Or are they??

Ag responds: With planting season just around the corner, the ag community was immediately in an uproar because most farmers have already purchased their seed—including dicamba-tolerant varieties. Voices across the industry are urging the EPA to allow existing dicamba stocks to be used up.

Soundbites: ″We urge EPA to immediately appeal the ruling.” — National Cotton Council

“We want to make sure that EPA can find a way to not disrupt and allow farmers to utilize what they’ve currently purchased for the 2024 growing season.” — RJ Karney, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture

“Especially coming at a time when most growers have already purchased seeds and herbicides for the growing season, this ruling stands to inflict great financial harm and uncertainty on many farmers preparing for spring planting.” — American Soybean Association President Josh Gackle

What’s ahead: The EPA is permitted under FIFRA to allow the use of stockpiled products that have been canceled. Stay tuned for their future decision.