US EPA Moves Up Dicamba Cutoff Date for Soybean Applications
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that no over-the-top application of dicamba to soybean can be made after June 12th or the V4 stage. This is a federal ruling and must be observed for all OTT dicamba applications to soybean in Illinois. IFCA has been in communication with the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) on this issue, and they do not anticipate additional state restrictions to the recent federal changes will be made by IDA ahead of the 2023 season. It is important to note that the additional existing restrictions for OTT dicamba applications still apply and are listed below:
- A pesticide containing dicamba shall not be applied on soybeans if the air temperature at the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day of application exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Local National Weather Service forecasts are available at https://www.weather.gov.
- Application on soybeans of a pesticide containing dicamba shall not be made after June 12th or the V4 stage.
- Before applying a pesticide containing dicamba on soybeans, the applicator shall consult the FieldWatch sensitive crop registry (https://www.fieldwatch.com) and comply with all associated recordkeeping and label requirements.
- Application on soybeans of a pesticide containing dicamba shall not be made if the wind is blowing toward: any Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site that is adjacent to the field of application; or an adjacent residential area.
Click here to read the U.S. EPA press release.
IFCA understands that the timing of this ruling is problematic for our members, as sales of crop protection products and seed have already occurred. Please reach out to the IFCA staff with any questions regarding the recent changes made by calling our office at 2309-827-2774 or emailing KJ Johnson at kj@ifca.com.