Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to re-register Dicamba herbicide for over-the-top application on soybeans. The agency's proposed registration eliminates cutoff dates and crop growth stages that were previously used to govern application. There will be restrictions intended to limit possible ecological harm.
 
Federal courts vacated the registration twice, in 2020 and 2024. The decision in February 2024 prevented the product from being used during the past two growing seasons for soybeans. EPA also said it plans to impose new mitigation requirements for the herbicide to address ecological impacts. EPA’s new regulation involves, “mitigations to prevent drift and off-target movement include a single use maximum application rate of 0.5 pounds acid equivalent of dicamba per acre with no more than 2 applications allowed with a maximum annual application of 1 pound acid equivalent of dicamba. Additional mitigations include prohibition of aerial applications, a 240-foot downwind buffer, the use of approved drift-reduction agents and pH-buffering volatility reduction agents and temperature-dependent application restrictions to manage volatility, including prohibition on applications when the temperature is above 95°F.
 
The public comments close on Aug. 22. IFCA has spoken to IDOA this week. IDOA will impose additional regulations IF dicamba OTT application comes back next year. The in the past IDOA has put on the state label a June 20th cut-off date and a forecasted high of 85-degree cutoff.
 
IFCA will be so many comments to you EPA on the dicamba label. If any additional information comes out, we will pass along to our membership.