The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced new registration and labeling for 2018 to minimize drift on Missouri crops from herbicides called dicamba. The agency says manufacturers have agreed to a process to get the revised labels into the hands of farmers in time for the 2018 use season.
EPA requires 2018 safeguards for weed killer used by Missouri farmers
More than 250 crop damage complaints involving the weed killer have been reported this year to the Missouri Agriculture Department. The complaints have been mostly damage to soybeans, but other vegetables and fruits have also been affected.
The EPA says each company has agreed to a process to relabel products already in the marketplace, if necessary. That might involve certain retailers relabeling the products and providing a new label or manufacturers reclaiming products from certain retailers for relabeling.
The EPA says it reached the new requirements in cooperation with the companies that make the products.
Missouri-based Monsanto, which sells a formulation, says it will take a variety of steps to help customers use its dicamba product successfully in 2018. Measures include applying mandatory training, new record keeping requirements, and a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) designation, which will limit sale and use to certified applicators or those acting under their supervision.
