News

IDOA dicamba complaints less than U of IL estimate

The leading weed scientist in Illinois estimates 500,000 acres of non-dicamba tolerant soybeans have been damaged in Illinois so far this year.

Aaron Hager with the University of Illinois tells Brownfield there is potential to have as many dicamba damaged soybean acres in Illinois this year as there were in 2017.

As of Monday, the Illinois Department of Agriculture had received only 88 dicamba misuse complaints on a variety of crops.

Hager says mandated applicator trainings have created more awareness of dicamba effects, but there are still people who choose not to follow guidelines.

“You may have somebody who says well I’m going to spray after sundown because I need to get this done or I’m going to spray when the winds are 15-20 miles per hour because I’m pushed up against a wall and I’ve got to get this done.”

He tells Brownfield not following a dicamba label can affect more than just neighboring fields.

“These things have consequences that can be taking place over literally fields that are a quarter mile, a half mile, or perhaps one or two miles away from the source of the exposure. So, it is not a very subtle thing when you have people who are not obeying the label and not obeying what the guidelines around application are.”

Hager’s estimate of dicamba damaged soybeans has gone up by 350,000 since June 15^th.