The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is reminding farmers of revised labels and new training requirements for applicators who intend to use dicamba herbicide products this year. In October 2017, U.S. EPA approved revised labels for the three dicamba products that are labeled for use on soybeans: Engenia (BASF), XtendiMax (Monsanto) and FeXapan (DuPont).
“Like any other product, we want to ensure licensed applicators are properly following label directions as they get ready for this growing season,” said Matt Beal, chief of the ODA Plant Health Division. “This not only helps assure the safe use of pesticides, it also helps prevent misuse and mishandling.”
The manufacturers of these dicamba products also agreed to additional requirements for their products. Some of the revisions include:
• Products are now classified as “restricted-use,” meaning only licensed applicators will be able to purchase them
• Applicators must complete dicamba-specific training
• Increased recordkeeping requirements
• Wind speed restrictions
• Temperature inversion restrictions
• Sensitive/susceptible crop consultation
• Spray system equipment clean-out
More details on these revisions can be found in the attached fact sheet. Applicators looking for a list of ODA-approved trainings can visit www.agri.ohio.gov. For questions, applicators can contact the ODA Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulation Section at 614-728-6987 or pesticides@agri.ohio.gov.
