June 10, 2020

US EPA allows use of dicamba-based herbicides banned by federal court

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said soybean farmers will be allowed to use their existing dicamba-based herbicides, even after a federal court blocked its sale and usage, Reuters reported.

The EPA said soybean farmers can only use their existing dicamba-based herbicides from June 3 until July 31 this year. The Bayer AG and its competitors sold dicamba herbicides can drift away and damage neighbouring crops that do not have resistance to dicamba.

The initial court decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals banned the sale and use of dicamba-based herbicides, which confused farmers that have purchased the products several months ago for use in genetically engineered soybeans and cotton.

EPA said its order will alleviate the economic consequences caused by the court's ruling.

Bayer estimates 60% of soybean crops grown in the US use its Xtend soybean seeds, which need to use the dicamba-based herbicide because weeds have developed a resistance towards another chemical called glyphosate.

A number of farm states said they will allow dicamba spraying after the court decision as they await an EPA statement. The plaintiffs for the dicamba court case against the EPA,

The US is the second biggest soybean exporter in the world.

-      Reuters