BASF’s dicamba production facility in Beaumont, Tex. (BASF.com)

U.S. EPA aims to allow dicamba use, with safeguards

Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is aiming to allow farmers to spray the controversial herbicide dicamba next year, but with additional rules for its use, an official with the agency said on Tuesday. Reuben Baris, acting chief of the herbicide branch of the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, said the agency

Health Canada had no herbicide drift complaints from Manitoba

That includes the herbicide dicamba, which has triggered many drift complaints in the U.S.

Health Canada has not received any herbicide drift complaints in Manitoba this season, including related to dicamba, André Gagnon, a media relations officer serving Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, said in an email Sept. 12. That contrasts sharply with the United States where the University of Missouri says 3.1 million acres


There’s talk of restricting dicamba use in Arkansas following many crop injury complaints there this growing season, but there’s no such talk in Manitoba. Manitoba Agriculture’s Terry Buss spoke about a plot demonstrating dicamba drift damage at the Crop Diagnostic School in Carman in July.

Manitoba sees very limited dicamba drift

There were dicamba drift complaints in Manitoba, 
but nothing like in parts of the U.S.

[*UPDATED: Sept. 18, 2017] There’s talk of restricting dicamba applications in Arkansas and possibly other states, but not in Manitoba. “I don’t think we are anywhere near the situation that they are having in the States (with dicamba crop injury complaints),” Manitoba Agriculture weed specialist Jeanette Gaultier said in an interview Sept. 7. “We seem

Tips to reduce dicamba drift

Cleaning out the spray tank is a critical step for 
preventing damage to other crops

The best way to avoid dicamba drift is to follow label directions. Although dicamba can be applied to Xtend soybeans from pre-emergence to early flowering, applying pre-emergence has advantages. One is if your crop isn’t up your neighbour’s might not be either and can’t be damaged by drift. “Dicamba provides residual control for a short

(Arkansas.gov/government)

Monsanto presses against Arkansas’ dicamba limits

Chicago | Reuters — Monsanto Co. pushed Arkansas authorities on Thursday to reject a proposed April 15 cutoff date next year for sprayings of the agricultural herbicide dicamba, which has been linked to crop damage across the U.S. farm belt. The company further said that Arkansas’ plant board should allow farmers in the state to


Many soybean fields are showing signs of injury, including patches of premature yellowing, says Manitoba Agriculture plant pathologist Holly Derksen. In many cases the cause could be a combination of stressors. (Photo courtesy Holly Derksen, Manitoba Agriculture)

Stressors pile up for Manitoba soybeans

Damaged patches of soybeans around Manitoba this year could be due to a combination of stresses, says Manitoba Agriculture plant pathologist Holly Derksen. “It’s a tricky year for diagnosing these problems,” Derksen said Wednesday during the Crop Talk Westman webinar. “When multiple stressors are present often the soybean plants may respond differently. Not all plants,


VIDEO: Spray tank cleaning after using dicamba

VIDEO: Spray tank cleaning after using dicamba

Jeanette Gaultier with Manitoba Agriculture offers tips on to help prevent dicamba damage in non-Xtend soybeans

With the use of dicamba herbicide in the new Xtend soybean system, a quick rinse of your sprayer tank won’t be enough to rid it of potentially harmful residues to other crops. Jeanette Gaultier, weed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, spoke with Allan Dawson at the recent Crop Diagnostic School about the importance of a thorough


If you see this don’t worry, the plant will grow out of it says Lionel Kaskiw, Manitoba Agriculture’s Farm Production Advisor based in Souris.

Blistering soybean leaves vs. cupping: the first isn’t a worry, the second is

Manitoba Agriculture’s Lionel Kaskiw is getting calls about dicamba drift

If you see what looks like blistering on soybean leaves don’t worry it’s not herbicide drift and the crop will grow out of it, says Lionel Kaskiw, Manitoba Agriculture’s Farm Production Advisor based in Souris. However, leaf cupping can be a sign of dicamba damage in soybeans that are not dicamba-tolerant, he said July 26

BASF’s dicamba production facility in Beaumont, Tex. (BASF.com)

Tennessee restricts dicamba use as problems spread

Chicago | Reuters — Tennessee on Thursday imposed restrictions on the use of dicamba, a flagship pesticide for Monsanto, to become the fourth state to take action as problems spread over damage the herbicide causes to crops not genetically modified to withstand it. Dicamba is sprayed by farmers on crops genetically modified to resist it