Four days ago, the Missouri Agriculture Department announced a statewide ban on the weedkiller dicamba because of 130 complaints of damage when the herbicide drifted into neighboring fields. Agriculture Director Chris Chinn told Agritalk that it might be possible to rewrite regulations on use of the chemical and allow farmers to resume use of it by the end of this week.
“This was never intended to be a long pause,” Chinn said on the interview program. “A lot of farmers are finding success with this product, but a lot of farmers are finding damage. We are trying to make sure we do the best thing for all farmers and ranchers.” Monsanto, one of the makers of dicamba, said it will “actively engage” in an expedited investigation and consideration of “additional special local-need labeling restrictions for the rest of the 2017 growing season.”
More than 200,000 acres of soybeans have been damaged by dicamba drift, a University of Missouri weed specialist told Brownfield Ag News. Use of dicamba is up because some strains of cotton and soybeans have been genetically engineered to withstand the herbicide. But other varieties of the crops are not resistant nor are fruit trees or produce crops.
Chinn said state officials worked over the weekend with chemical companies in hopes of a resolution over new guidelines on the herbicide label. “They are looking right now to see what changes they can make so it’s a better fit for the climate we have here in Missouri,” she said.
Arkansas said its 120-day ban on use of dicamba on row crops would begin on Tuesday. There were nearly 600 complaints, some involving more than 1,000 acres, on file with the state plant board at the end of last week. Gov. Asa Hutchinson has requested the assembly of a task force to recommend how to use the herbicide safely. “This debate will continue into future planting seasons and Arkansas needs a long-term solution,” he said.