US: Illinois Department of Agriculture announces dicamba decision for 2021 growing season

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has registered the following Dicamba products for the use on soybeans for the 2021 growing season: XtendiMax with Vapor Grip Technology, Engenia Herbicide, and Tavium Plus Vapor Grip Technology. The new federal label for dicamba was issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on October 27, 2020.

The new federal label requirements for these products include:

- Requiring an approved pH-buffering agent, also known as a volatility reducing agent, be tank mixed with dicamba products prior to all applications.

- Requiring a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet in areas where listed endangered species are located.

- Additional recordkeeping items.

The approved federal label also includes a cutoff date of June 30 for application of these products on soybeans. However, IDOA will be utilizing its authority pursuant to Section 24(a) of FIFRA and relevant provisions of the Illinois Pesticide Act to impose a cutoff date of June 20 for application on soybeans. In addition to the June 20 cutoff date, IDOA also intends to include the following additional application restrictions for application of these products on soybeans:

- Temperature restriction of 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

- Requirement to consult the Field Watch sensitive crop registry.

- Prohibiting application if the wind is blowing toward any Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site that is adjacent to the proposed field of application.

- Prohibiting application when the wind is blowing toward an adjacent residential area.

"This decision was made after evaluating several factors, including the reduction of pesticide misuse cases involving the use of dicamba on soybeans from 2019 to 2020," said Acting Director Jerry Costello II. "In 2020, the Department included an 85 degree temperature restriction in addition to the June 20 cutoff date, resulting in an 80% decrease in dicamba misuse complaints."

Dicamba is a herbicide commonly used on soybeans and cotton. Illinois ranks first in the nation for soybean production producing 532 billion bushels of soybeans per year. The July 30 cutoff date for application of these products on cotton will not be affected.