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Researchers to share dicamba data with EPA

Data being shared now will help determine how farmers can use dicamba to control weeds in the future. 

University of Wisconsin Weed Scientist Dr. Rodrigo Werle says he has done a lot of dicamba research over the past two years, and several weed scientists gathered in Texas earlier this week to compare notes. “We were in a meeting discussing protocols and best management practices for dicamba use moving forward, so we had an enclosed meeting of a group of academics and industry exchanging a lot of information. It’s amazing how much we’ve learned.”

Werle tells Brownfield he and other researchers are going to Washington D.C. “We’re going to be transferring some of that knowledge to the EPA, so hopefully the EPA has all the data that’s necessary for them to make decisions moving forward.”

Along with dicamba studies, Werle says his team has done trials on potential future products. “With that job, we also get to test a lot of new compounds that are coming, new products. We try to work with the industry to try to address some of the issues they are having.”

Werle says the data universities and industry present this week will help EPA with future guidelines, but producers should not expect rapid changes to dicamba label restrictions.

Werle spoke to Brownfield at the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association Conference in Madison.