In the past week the IL Dept of Ag staff gave IFCA an update on the dicamba misuse complaints in 2021.  Here are the highlights:

 

IDA to date has received a total of 348 pesticide misuse complaints.  319 of those complaints are agriculture related.  178 of the 319 ag related complaints were attributed to dicamba.  To IDA's knowledge there were no complaints filed that were attributed to over-the-top use of 2,4-D on Enlist soybeans.  The total number of ag-related complaints is down significantly from 2019 (924) and slightly up from 2020 (346).  However, it is still nearly 3 times higher than the average number of complaints made from the years 1989-2016, when total ag related pesticide misuse complaints were less than 100 statewide. 

 

IDA provided charts and graphs illustrating the complaint numbers and trendlines.  To view the charts, please click here.  Most of the dicamba related complaints this year came in the 2nd week of July.

 

What is the status of dicamba re-registration?  USEPA is expected to issue a final decision, and labels, for the dicamba products registered for use on soybean by the end of October 2021.  U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan spoke Monday to state agricultural regulators at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s annual meeting.  Administrator Regan was asked “can dicamba-tolerant farmers go ahead and make 2022 planting decisions and place their crop intake orders now knowing that the over-the-top dicamba products will be available for the next growing season?”  Regan gave neither yes nor no for an answer, instead saying the agency is “extremely concerned” about reports of dicamba potentially doing harm. The EPA, he said, is gathering factual information and preparing, “if necessary, to take appropriate regulatory action.”

 

IFCA knows the registrants of the products are meeting with USEPA throughout this process.  We do not know what the outcome will be in terms of label changes or over-the-top use.  Ag retailers and farmers who are trying to plan for the 2022 crop anxiously await news from the USEPA.  We feel your pain and understand your anxiety and wish we had more news to share, but that is all we know at this point.