For retailers and crop producers interested in dicamba-based products, the final sale and use dates for 2024 are swiftly approaching. Some states, like Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota, have already passed their key dates, with May 13 marking the deadline for sales and distribution. South Dakota’s deadline is May 21, while for other states and counties with registrations, the sales and distribution deadlines are May 31 for soybeans and June 30 for cotton. After these dates, dicamba-based products cannot be applied to soybeans after June 30, and for cotton, the final cutoff date for application is July 30.
Brigit Rollins, a staff lawyer with the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC), emphasized the variation in dates state by state, which were set by the EPA’s existing stocks order issued on February 14. Rollins advised checking the existing stocks order to ensure compliance with the cutoff date for each state before using any of the three pesticides affected by the Arizona federal court decision vacating their product registrations.
Rollins highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the future of dicamba-based herbicides beyond 2024, as manufacturers seek to re-register their products amidst potential additional use restrictions. Bayer has submitted a new label request for XtendiMax/dicamba, with significant limitations on soybean use, currently open for public comment. The approval process for this request is expected to be lengthy, potentially extending into fall 2025, especially if additional consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are required.
Rollins also mentioned EPA’s new herbicide strategy aimed at reducing environmental impact, which could influence future dicamba registrations.
