The dicamba battle has been raging for years. Court case after court case has been heard to determine the product’s status. Farmers have come to depend on the product as a tool they can use on stubborn weeds. In February a federal court ordered a halt to the use of dicamba and vacated the EPA registrations for the product. The EPA did work to allow farmers to use up existing stocks this season, to help both mitigate financial ruin for those who had already purchased the product and to ease the disposal of the product.
Since then, farmers who use dicamba-tolerant genetics have been clamoring for a replacement of the product. This is because they are satisfied with the results. To that end, Bayer has worked to develop a “low volatility” dicamba product and is applying for labeling by the EPA. Ty Witten Vice President for Commercial License to Operate with Bayer Crop Science tells us about the need for a product that farmers trust.
Witten says that if farmers are hoping for a replacement to dicamba this year, this isn’t going to be it. It is still in the comment phase and is a different product than the Dicamba product you were using in the past.
Farmers who want to have this tool available must make their voices heard during the EPA comment period. You can be assured that the detractors of dicamba will be making themselves heard.
The comment period will end on Monday, June 3rd.
You can find more information on making a public comment on the Roundup Ready Website.
