Dicamba Crossfire: Farmers feel caught in the middle of the herbicide fight

This week marked the cutoff date for Dicamba, a popular herbicide for soybean farmers. It has been at the center of discussion for years, and some say farmers are caught in the middle.

A court removed the government’s approval earlier this year, leaving many producers to question their next steps. However, on the other hand, growers welcomed the move. Illinois farmer Scott Trimble lost nearly his whole crop a few years ago thanks to Dicamba drift from a neighboring soybean field. He tells Prairie Farmer it has been an uphill battle ever since.

Many soybean farmers had become afraid to use it for fear of similar situations, and others felt distrust in the government approval system.

Related Stories
Prepare for acute UAN risk and a brief urea shock; maintain steady ammonia and phosphate plans, and monitor potash basis on the coasts.
“A government shutdown impacts all Americans and has serious consequences, including for farmers. It just adds additional uncertainty, disrupts critical services.”
Consumer demand for regional food systems is strong, but the challenge lies in scaling production and infrastructure to meet that growing need.
Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joins us to share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2025 corn harvest.
American Coalition for Ethanol’s Ron Lamberty shares the significance of California’s approval, opening up the country’s largest gasoline market to a cleaner-burning, often lower-cost fuel option.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

“Farmers for Free Trade” warns that disaster is brewing as President Trump’s trade policy is causing farm input costs to rise even more.
While artificial intelligence, or AI, is reshaping both jobs and messaging in agriculture, CoBank data suggests human expertise still matters.
Bubba and Amy Miller run Miller Cattle Company in Eros, Louisiana. After visiting other homesteading fairs, they decided to put on their own.
The new AFBF Women in Agriculture survey is accepting responses from women in the industry across the United States now through March 31.