MDA Approves Dicamba in Minnesota for 2021
Great news for soybean farmers in Minnesota and bad news for waterhemp! The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) approved dicamba for over the top applications on soybeans in 2021. In 2020 the Federal Label on dicamba had a June 30 application cut-off date. The MDA in 2020 had a more restrictive label with a June 20 cut-off date. The 2021 dicamba cut-off date for Minnesota is the same as the Federal Label of June 30.
The MDA news release stated that the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had "limited individual states ability to impose further application restrictions." I thought if the MDA did approve dicamba for over the top applications on soybean in 2021 the cut-off date would have been moved earlier in June. Like last year though the MDA is "requiring approved education and training of applicators and provide more Minnesota specific data on the use of dicamba to inform future department decisions." Minnesota also have some additional record keeping requirements.
"Dicamba is an important tool for combating herbicide resistant weeds in dicamba tolerant soybeans," said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson. "However, it's also important to limit impacts on neighboring homes, farms and gardens. It will be necessary for applicators to understand and follow new label language including complete record keeping requirements."
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