EPA is currently evaluating the use of dicamba and whether it can be sprayed on GMO cotton and soybean plants with resistance to the chemical. EPA said it has received around 3,500 reports in 2021 that more than 1 million acres of soybeans that were not dicamba-tolerant had been damaged from chemical drift of the herbicide. EPA noted the level of impacts and areas where the events took place are similar to last year even though there were tighter use restrictions on dicamba for the 2021 growing season.
“EPA is reviewing whether over-the-top dicamba can be used in a manner that does not pose unreasonable risks to non-target crops and other plants, or to listed species and their designated critical habitats,” the agency said. “EPA is also evaluating all of its options for addressing future dicamba-related incidents.” EPA also said it believes there has been “widespread underreporting of dicamba-related incidents” in 2021.
Relative to 2022, EPA said that if a state wants to further restrict or narrow over-the-top uses of dicamba, the agency will “work with them to support their goals.” And EPA also said based on the incident reports from the 2021 growing season, it is “unlikely” to approve any requests for additional uses of federally registered over-the-top dicamba products to meet special local needs.
Link to an EPA question-and-answer sheet on dicamba regulation.
Link to the 73-page EPA memorandum on 2021 dicamba use, incidents, and stakeholder-suggested mitigations.
Link to an EPA chronology of recent decisions on dicamba.