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MDA Announces They Will Not Pursue Special Local Needs Labels For 3 Dicamba Products In 2019

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced yesterday it will not pursue Special Local Needs (24c) labels for Engenia, FeXapan and XtendiMax for 2019’s growing season. This follows a decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to extend the registration of the three Dicamba products for another two years with some special provisions and safeguards.

 

In July 2017, in an effort to help reduce off-target injury by Dicamba products on unequipped crops, the MDA approved a special local needs label for these three products to allow farmers to continue to use this technology in Missouri.

 

In a press release issued yesterday, the MDA said they are appreciative of the EPA’s  “thoughtful approach” in the re-registration process.

 

“We understand it is a challenging task to balance the interests of producers across the United States, but the EPA has worked diligently with registrants to provide a balanced approach,” Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn said in the press release.

 

The MDA said they look forward to working with “industry partners, agriculture organizations and academia” to educate and notify growers of the new federal requirements. They said the EPA has enhanced previous labels and added more safeguards to increase the “success and safe use of the product in the field.”

 

According to the press release, the two-year registration is valid through Dec. 20, 2020, and includes the following:

  • Only certified applicators may apply Dicamba over-the-top (those working under the supervision of a certified applicator may no longer make applications)

  • Prohibit over-the-top application of Dicamba on soybeans 45 days after planting or up until the R1 growth stage (first bloom), whichever comes first

  • Prohibit over-the-top application of Dicamba on cotton 60 days after planting

  • For cotton, limit the number of over-the-top applications from four to two

  • For soybeans, the number of over-the-top applications remains at two

  • Applications will be allowed only from one hour after sunrise to two hours before sunset

  • In counties where endangered species may exist, the downwind buffer will remain at 110 feet and there will be a new 57-foot buffer around the other sides of the field (the 110-foot downwind buffer applies to all applications, not just in counties where endangered species may exist)

  • Enhanced tank clean-out instructions for the entire system

  • Enhanced label to improve applicator awareness on the impact of low pH on the potential volatility of Dicamba

  • Label clean up and consistency to improve compliance and enforceability

 
New instructions and requirements will be made available in the Dicamba or “auxin-specific” training available online through the University of Missouri Extension, or through Bayer, BASF and Corteva for their products.