Mark Steil, “State investigating Monsanto weed killer after farmers’ complaints,” MPRnews, July 20, 2017.
SUMMARY:
Reports on about 2 dozen complaints received by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture about damage from dicamba. The debate continues over what’s to blame- farmers spraying improperly or on the wrong weather days, the use of generic formulations that lack the additives to reduce volubility, or Monsanto’s product itself. Lab tests are being conducted on the affected crops to determine if dicamba is to blame. Estimates are that thousands of acres of soybeans across MN have been damaged. FULL TEXT
Bryce Gray, “Class lawsuit takes aim at dicamba producers, accuses Monsanto reps of condoning illegal spraying,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 23, 2017.
SUMMARY:
This article reports on the class action lawsuit filed July 18th in federal court in Monsanto’s home state of Missouri. The lawsuit claims that despite public statements urging farmers to wait for the new, low-volubility dicamba formulations, Monsanto privately assured farmers that off-label use wouldn’t be harmful. The suit names Monsanto, BASF, DuPont, and Pioneer as the defendants, and the plaintiffs currently include seven farms in Arkansas, though many more are expected to join. In reviewing the 2017 batch of dicamba damage complaints, the article claims that as well as Arkansas and Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kansas, Illinois and Indiana have all seen problems from dicamba use. FULL TEXT
Associated Press, “Arkansas governor approves board’s limits on dicamba use,” The Washington Times, January 4, 2017.
SUMMARY:
Reports that Gov. Hutchinson has approved the Arkansas State Plant Board’s proposal to limit when and where dicamba can be sprayed in the upcoming planting season. It includes a requirement for a 1 mile buffer zone before spraying dicamba, except on pasture or rangeland. FULL TEXT
Andrew Demillo, “Weed Killer Turns Neighbor Against Neighbor in Farm Country,” Associated Press, July 17, 2017.
SUMMARY:
This AP article sheds light on Mike Wallace, the Arkansas farmer who was shot and killed in October 2016 by the manager of the neighboring farm during a confrontation over damage to Wallace’s farm from dicamba drift. Mike’s sister said that he “did not want to hurt his neighbor, and he could not understand why people would spray things that would hurt others.” The article reports that as of mid July, 630 complaints have been received so far at the Plant Board, far surpassing the 250 or so that or usually submitted each year. Herbicide manufactures continue to insist the problem is with application error, and not their products. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” quotes one long-time soybean farmer. FULL TEXT
BASF Press Release, “Engenia herbicide from BASF now registered by EPA,” Farm Industry News, 2016.
SUMMARY:
BASF press release about EPA approval of Engenia herbicide for dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton. Includes claims of a 70% reduction in volatility. FULL TEXT
