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Missouri dicamba ban lifted with restrictions
Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn has lifted the temporary ban on the dicamba based herbicides Engenia, Xtendimax with VaporGrip Technology, and FeXapan. To reduce off-target crop injury, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) approved Special Local Need labels for the herbicides, including special provisions and safeguards for the use of the technology in Missouri.
“We wanted to prevent application during temperature inversions, we wanted to reduce the wind speed to help in insure that that was a possibility,” Chinn told Brownfield Ag News Thursday, “and the new label, while it may narrow the application time, it’s also going to allow this technology to be used.”
Director Chinn says BASF, Monsanto and DuPont agreed to additional safeguards for product use. The MDA is not finished with the issue, according to Director Chinn.
“We’re going to look at creating a task force, including industry, grower groups and the department, to determine how we can encourage stewardship moving forward,” she said.
The Special Local Need labels stipulate the products can applied in wind speeds no more than 10 mph. Applicators have to measure and record wind speed and direction for each field prior to application. The products can be applied only between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Engenia, Xtendimax and FeXapan can only be applied by licensed Missouri certified private applicators, or certified commercial or noncommercial applicators, or certified public operators.
Certified applicators must complete a “Dicamba Notice of Application” on the MDA’s website prior to applying the products.
Applicators have to keep and maintain records of each application of the dicamba products.
The statewide order is in effect until December 1st for all dicamba products labeled for agricultural use.
AUDIO: Chris Chinn (MP3)
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