The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has permitted farmers to utilize existing stocks of dicamba-based weedkillers, notwithstanding a federal court's decision to cease their use.
Tom Polansek reports for Reuters.
In short:
- The EPA's decision allows the use of dicamba herbicides for the 2024 growing season, benefiting farmers and agrichemical companies.
- This ruling follows a court decision that vacated the registration of dicamba products, citing procedural violations.
- Environmental concerns remain due to dicamba's tendency to drift and harm non-resistant crops.
Key quote:
"We are very appreciative of EPA's decision to let us get through the 2024 growing season by using any product already in the delivery pipeline."
— Josh Gackle, president of the American Soybean Association.
Why this matters:
This decision highlights the ongoing debate over the use of potent herbicides and their impact on health and the environment, a significant issue in national agricultural policy.
Related: EPA rushed to issue 2020 dicamba approval despite scientific concerns, documents reveal.
