Area producers received some clarity from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday following a June 3 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit that vacated the registrations for a critical weed management tool, dicamba. Iowa Soybean Association President, Tim Bardole of Rippey, said that although farmers and commercial applicators received word from the EPA that they could use any such product that was in their possession on June 3, more questions remain. These range from clarification on use if product was ordered prior to that June 3 deadline but not yet received and the more far reaching impact to producers and retailers. “Limiting availability to those who are expecting acquisition will place some retailers and farmers at a disadvantage,” Bardole said, “forcing them into less effective and more expensive weed management alternatives.” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, said he is very disappointed with the court’s decision to overturn the EPA’s approval of dicamba products, especially as they enter into the critical weed control timeframe for the 2020 growing season. He is, however, grateful the EPA recognized this hardship and issued the order allowing farmers to use the existing stocks. Distribution or sale is now prohibited and use of existing product must be consistent with the previously approved label and be discontinued after July 31.
