News

Arkansas State Plant Board approves emergency dicamba ban

The Arkansas State Plant Board has voted to pass a proposed emergency rule to ban in-crop use of dicamba.  A spokesperson for the department tells Brownfield the board also voted to include an exemption for pastureland and to expedite the rule, voted to increase civil penalties for dicamba misuse.  The board approved the measure on a 9-5 vote.

This is the first step in the process of establishing an emergency rule.  The proposed rule now has to be reviewed and approved by the Governor before being submitted to the Executive Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council for approval.

In a statement provided to Brownfield, Monsanto chief technology officer Robb Fraley says the decision blatantly ignores the interests of Arkansas farmers and was based on off-target movement claims that are still being investigated and have not been substantiated.  He says it was also made without hearing directly from farmers about the impact removing the weed management tool would have on their operations.  Monsanto is encouraging farmers to reach out to Governor Hutchinson to share their concerns about the impact the ban would have on their operations.

As of Friday the Arkansas Department of Agriculture has 242 alleged dicamba misuse complaints.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!