The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reconsidering dicamba herbicide regulations after a court banned its use last year, pitting farmers who rely on it against those who say it causes widespread damage.
Richard Mertens reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- Dicamba, a herbicide used with genetically modified crops, has been linked to crop and environmental damage due to its tendency to drift.
- A court banned over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products in 2024, but the EPA under Trump is reconsidering their approval, raising concerns about regulatory rollbacks.
- Some farmers argue dicamba is essential to combat glyphosate-resistant weeds, while others cite ongoing harm to neighboring crops and natural vegetation.
Key quote:
“The way we are currently farming, this chemically intensive process of controlling weeds is not going to end well. We’re going to get more and more resistance and more and more chemicals out into the landscape.”
— Kim Erndt-Pitcher, director of ecological health at Prairie Rivers Network
Why this matters:
Dicamba, a widely used herbicide, has been at the center of agricultural disputes for years. Known for its tendency to drift beyond intended fields, the chemical has damaged millions of acres of crops, home gardens and even trees. Farmers and rural communities have been caught in legal battles, with some arguing that dicamba has rendered their crops unmarketable. Efforts to regulate the herbicide have faced pushback from agribusinesses, but loosening restrictions could worsen the problem.
