Kaskey and Mulvany, 2016a
Jack Kaskey and Lydia Mulvany, “Monsanto Seeds Unleash Unintended Consequences Across U.S. Farms,” Bloomberg, September 1, 2016.
SUMMARY:
Reports on dicamba damage in 2016 after Monsanto allows sales of dicamba-resistant crops even though the EPA had not yet approved the new dicamba formulations meant for use with the new GE seeds. Farmers tell Bloomberg they feel “compelled to buy the engineered Monsanto seed to avoid injury next season.” FULL TEXT
Barber, 2017
Tom Barber, “Dicamba Drift and Potential Effects on Soybean Yield,” AGWatch Network, July 7, 2016.
SUMMARY:
Tom Barber, an Extension Weed Scientist at the University of Arkansas, posts a chilling overview of what he has observed in soybean fields in several parts of the state. His piece “Dicamba Drift and Potential Effects on Soybean Yield” contains an ominous warning – “We have observed a 10% [soybean] yield loss from dicamba at rates as low as 1/1024X of the labeled rate” – a very low level of drift and/or movement following volatilization. Barber also warns that low rates of dicamba drift/movement onto soybeans, especially later in the crop’s growth cycle (i.e. R3-R5) can result in carryover of dicamba in the seed…triggering problems if the soybeans are used for seed in the next year and increasing dietary exposure levels. FULL TEXT
Gillam, 2015
Carey Gillam, “Monsanto to invest more than $1bln in dicamba herbicide production,” Reuters, June 24, 2015.
SUMMARY:
Reports on Monsanto plans to invest heavily in dicamba production in preparation for the launch of dicamba-resistant crops. A major plant expansion underway in Luling, Louisiana to meet rising demand for dicamba and Monsanto tells Reuters it sees “a 200 million acre ‘practical fit’ for its Roundup Ready Xtend system for soybeans and cotton in the Americas.” FULL TEXT
Behrens et al., 2007
Mark Behrens, Nedim Mutlu, Sarbani Chakraborty, Razvan Dumitru, Wen Zhi Jiang, “Dicamba Resistance: Enlarging and Preserving Biotechnology-Based Weed Management Strategies,” Science, 316, 2007, DOI: 10.1126/science.1141596.
ABSTRACT:
Abstract: The advent of biotechnology-derived, herbicide-resistant crops has revolutionized farming practices in many countries. Facile, highly effective, environmentally sound, and profitable weed control methods have been rapidly adopted by crop producers who value the benefits associated with biotechnology-derived weed management traits. But a rapid rise in the populations of several troublesome weeds that are tolerant or resistant to herbicides currently used in conjunction with herbicide-resistant crops may signify that the useful lifetime of these economically important weed management traits will be cut short. We describe the development of soybean and other broadleaf plant species resistant to dicamba, a widely used, inexpensive, and environmentally safe herbicide. The dicamba resistance technology will augment current herbicide resistance technologies and extend their effective lifetime. Attributes of both nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded dicamba resistance genes that affect the potency and expected durability of the herbicide resistance trait are examined. FULL TEXT
Steil, 2017
Mark Steil, “State investigating Monsanto weed killer after farmers’ complaints,” MPRnews, July 20, 2017.
SUMMARY:
Reports on about 2 dozen complaints received by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture about damage from dicamba. The debate continues over what’s to blame- farmers spraying improperly or on the wrong weather days, the use of generic formulations that lack the additives to reduce volubility, or Monsanto’s product itself. Lab tests are being conducted on the affected crops to determine if dicamba is to blame. Estimates are that thousands of acres of soybeans across MN have been damaged. FULL TEXT
Gray, 2017a
Bryce Gray, “Class lawsuit takes aim at dicamba producers, accuses Monsanto reps of condoning illegal spraying,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 23, 2017.
SUMMARY:
This article reports on the class action lawsuit filed July 18th in federal court in Monsanto’s home state of Missouri. The lawsuit claims that despite public statements urging farmers to wait for the new, low-volubility dicamba formulations, Monsanto privately assured farmers that off-label use wouldn’t be harmful. The suit names Monsanto, BASF, DuPont, and Pioneer as the defendants, and the plaintiffs currently include seven farms in Arkansas, though many more are expected to join. In reviewing the 2017 batch of dicamba damage complaints, the article claims that as well as Arkansas and Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kansas, Illinois and Indiana have all seen problems from dicamba use. FULL TEXT
BASF, 2007
BASF, Status Herbicide Label, August 24, 2007, EPA Registration Number: 7969-242.
SUMMARY:
Early herbicide label for Status herbicide, containing sodium dicambaplus DFFP and safener.
EPA, 2006
Environmental Protection Agency, “Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Dicamba and Associated Salts,” June 8, 2006.
SUMMARY:
Re-registration documentation for dicamba, including health and environmental assessments. FULL TEXT
BASF, 1999
BASF, Distinct Herbicide Label, October 25, 1999, EPA Registration Number: 7969-150.
SUMMARY:
First label for Distinct herbicide, containing sodium dicamba plus diflufenzopyr (DFFP). FULL TEXT
BASF, 1992
BASF, Clarity Herbicide Label, July 23, 1992, EPA Registration Number: 55947-46.
SUMMARY:
Early label for Clarity Herbicide containing the diglycolamine (DGA) form of dicamba. FULL TEXT