ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA (RFD NEWS) — Agricultural groups are applauding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision to preserve the use of the herbicide dicamba for over-the-top applications this year, as well as the 2027 growing season.
After a court-mandated ban on the 2025 growing season, the EPA reapproved the over-the-top use of dicamba for genetically modified soybeans and cotton.
The latest registration decision includes label changes intended to address concerns about dicamba’s volatility, which dicamba supporters say will provide much-needed clarity for farmers as they prepare for the upcoming growing season.
Richard Gupton of the Agricultural Retailers Association joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to discuss the new EPA guidance on dicamba.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Gupton discussed how dicamba has become an important tool for growers, particularly for protecting yields and supporting soil health. He also outlined what the EPA’s decision entails and how the guidance is expected to bring certainty to producers as they finalize plans for the growing season.
While Dicamba has never been permanently banned but has faced significant restrictions and temporary bans due to its tendency to volatilize and “drift” from farming operations, driven by heat, temperature inversions, and wind, damaging non-tolerant crops, gardens, and ecosystems miles away from application sites. Critics argue that sustainability concerns have led to numerous lawsuits and federal court rulings against its use, though the EPA has repeatedly sought to reapprove it under new rules.
Gupton also addressed the agency’s plan to closely monitor dicamba use over the next two seasons, including tracking reports of off-target damage, and discussed what the industry can do to help ensure continued access to the product.
