Most of the pesticide retailers who took part in an Illinois trade association poll reported damage from the weedkiller dicamba even when the weedkiller was sprayed in good conditions, says the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting (MCIR). Separately, the University of Missouri said the herbicide was blamed for damage to 3.6 million acres of soybeans as of Oct. 15, a 16 percent increase from its Aug 10 tally.
When the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association surveyed its 178 members about their experience with dicamba this growing season, it got 124 replies. “The overwhelming majority of respondents reported issues with dicamba, even when following the label,” said MCIR. “About 85 percent of the companies that apply dicamba said there were significant drift issues, even when the wind was not blowing, according to the survey. Additionally, about 70 percent of agriculture retailers said they had more complaints with dicamba than with all pesticides in a typical season.”
The EPA has set stricter guidelines on use of low-volatility formulations of dicamba for 2018 crops. This year, growers, worried about invasive weeds, rushed to plant soybean and cotton strains that were genetically modified to tolerate dicamba. Monsanto says it expects plantings to expand next year.
Missouri weed specialist Kevin Bradley said his end of the season compilation of complaints to state agriculture departments tallied 2,708 reports of dicamba damage on 3.6 million acres, compared to 2,242 complaints on 3.1 million acres in early August. The increase came primarily from northern states, such as Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, said Bradley.
“At this point, many state departments of agriculture are deciding whether or not they will impose any additional state requirements for the use of these products,” wrote Bradley. The Arkansas State Plant Board has scheduled a Nov. 8 public hearing on its proposal to ban use of dicamba on row crops from April 16-Oct 31, 2018, because of widespread problems of damage to neighboring fields.