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Missouri Legislature raises fines for off-label herbicide application

Missouri lawmakers passed a bill Thursday boosting fines for those who apply herbicides against label directions.  The bill was introduced by New Madrid, Missouri Representative Don Rone following damage to susceptible crops from drifting dicamba that had been sprayed against label directions in Missouri’s Bootheel.  The herbicide was sprayed on cotton and soybeans specifically bred to tolerate dicamba, although a less volatile dicamba formulation had yet to be approved at the time of off-label applications.

Rone’s original House bill called for a penalty of $1,000 per acre, but was changed by the Senate and agreed to by House members Thursday.  The bill sent to the governor authorizes the Missouri Department of Agriculture to levy fines of up to $10,000 per violation if herbicides are not used according to label directions.  If a person is a chronic violator, the fine is $25,000 per violation.  If a farmer fails to produce subpoenaed records pertaining to a complaint investigation, the farmer can be fined up to $5,000.

Fines are to be given to the school district in which the violation occurred.  Lawmakers approved an emergency clause, so the law is in effect as soon as the governor signs it.