Registration of Dicamba for Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Crops
On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba Products Previously Registered for Over-the-Top Use on Dicamba-Tolerant Cotton and Soybean. This Order addresses use of the formerly- registered dicamba products and authorizes limited sale and distribution of dicamba products that are already in the possession of growers or in the channels of trade and outside the control of the pesticide companies.
Read the Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba (pdf)
On February 6, 2024, a ruling by the U.S. District Court of Arizona vacated the 2020 registrations for OTT dicamba products - XtendiMax, Engenia, and Tavium. As of February 6, 2024, these products are unregistered, and sale or distribution of these products is unlawful except as provided in EPA’s February 2024 existing stocks order.
On February 16, 2023, EPA approved labeling amendments that further restrict the use of OTT dicamba in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and South Dakota. The Iowa, Illinois and Indiana amendments were requested by product registrants following discussion with those states. The South Dakota amendment was proposed by the state to the registrant. All amendments are intended to reduce risks from the use of over-the-top dicamba. For Iowa, the February 2023 amendment supersedes the March 2022 amendment.
On March 15, 2022, EPA approved label amendments that further restrict the use of OTT dicamba in Minnesota and Iowa. The amendments, requested by pesticide registrants in consultation with those states, are intended to reduce risks from the use of OTT dicamba by avoiding application on days with high temperatures. Read EPA's announcement.
On December 21, 2021, EPA published a report on the nature and extent of dicamba-related incidents that caused damage to non-target crops during the 2021 growing season. Despite the control measures implemented in EPA’s October 2020 dicamba registration decision, these incident reports showed little change in number, severity, and/or geographic extent of dicamba-related incidents when compared to the reports the Agency received before the 2020 control measures were required.
Read EPA’s statement and FAQs about the report.
On October 27, 2020, EPA announced the registration of two end-use dicamba products and extended the existing registration for one other dicamba product, all for applications only on dicamba-tolerant cotton and dicamba-tolerant soybeans. These products will automatically expire in December 2025 unless EPA takes further action to amend the registrations. The new registrations include label changes that further restrict the use of OTT dicamba applications compared to the 2018 registrations. Read the press release and FAQs about this action.
View the documents supporting this decision:
- Registration decision
- Effects determination
- Benefits assessment for DT cotton production
- Benefits assessment for DT soybean production
On June 8, 2020, EPA issued a final cancellation order providing farmers with needed clarity following the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ June 3, 2020 vacatur of three dicamba registrations. This cancellation order outlined limited and specific circumstances under which existing stocks of the three affected dicamba products could be used for a limited period. EPA’s order advanced protection of public health and the environment by ensuring use of existing stocks follows important application procedures.
On June 3, 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order vacating three of EPA’s pesticide registrations containing the active ingredient dicamba.
In 2019, EPA registered a product containing a combination of dicamba and S-metolachlor for OTT use on dicamba-tolerant cotton and dicamba-tolerant soybeans. This combination of active ingredients is currently an approved tank mix, and as such, is already used OTT on cotton and soybeans.
The registrations for all these dicamba products included an expiration date of Dec. 20, 2020, barring further EPA action to extend the registrations.
In 2018, EPA extended the registration for two years for over-the-top (OTT) use (on growing plants) of dicamba to control weeds in cotton and soybeans genetically engineered to tolerate dicamba. Extensive collaboration with the pesticide manufacturers, farmers, state regulators, and other stakeholders informed EPA’s decision. The registration requires label updates that add protective measures to further minimize the potential for off-site plant damage.
View the documents supporting this decision: