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EPA reviewing dicamba label

The EPA says its scientists are reviewing the dicamba label for potential changes.

EPA’s Rick Keigwin tells Brownfield while he can’t say if the herbicide’s label will be updated, the agency is continuing to receive complaints of drift damage from conventional and organic growers.

“As soon as we have an answer, we will be engaging with agricultural interests,” he said. “But I think it’s to the benefit of everybody that we figure out how to keep these incidents from continuing to occur.”

The EPA most recently updated dicamba’s label in 2020 prohibiting over the top application after June 30 on soybeans and July 30 on cotton. Keigwin says dicamba has been ‘particularly challenging’ to set regulations for.

“What we’re trying to strike is a science-based decision that prevents unreasonable adverse effects from occurring, that also provides a useful tool to growers who need to address a particular pest management situation,” Keigwin said.

He said reports of weeds like waterhemp and palmer amaranth developing resistance will play a role in the decision because it impacts the cost/benefit balance.