The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued new labels for over-the-top dicamba products used on tolerant soybeans and cotton, introducing temperature-based application limits and additional measures to reduce volatility and runoff.
The new restrictions affect farmers growing dicamba-tolerant crops in Arkansas and across the nation. According to information from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the updated labels aim to address ongoing concerns about the herbicide’s impact on neighboring crops and vegetation.
Dicamba has been a controversial herbicide in recent years, with drift complaints from farmers whose non-tolerant crops have been damaged by the chemical moving from nearby fields.
The temperature-based application limits represent a significant change in how and when farmers can apply the product during the growing season. The EPA’s new measures also include actions designed to minimize volatility, which occurs when the herbicide evaporates and moves off-target, as well as runoff that can affect waterways and surrounding areas.
For more information about the new EPA dicamba labels, visit the Division of Agriculture website.
