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Cotton states keep a close eye on 2025 dicamba

Attorney Brigit Rollins with the National Ag Law Center says three over-the-top dicamba products pending re-registration at EPA might not be available for the 2025 growing season.

“The agency is really trying to be thorough on this one if they want to create an over-the-top dicamba registration as legally defensible as possible.”

Rollins says it’s unclear if EPA will shorten the 17-month process, but farmers should consult with their contacts at Bayer, BASF and Syngenta as weed management plans are made for next year.

Tom Barber, a weed and cotton specialist with University of Arkansas Extension, says he hasn’t completely given up on the re-registration of the products.  

“It’s a fluid process.”

Barber says currently, cotton growers only have three options for dealing with herbicide resistant pigweeds like Palmer amaranth.

“It depends on where you farm as to whether or not you have those three: dicamba, glufosinate and 2,4-D. If dicamba is out of the picture and we’re farming a farm that’s glufosinate tolerant and an Xtend-Flex system, there’s no other option other than residuals.”

Barber says if cotton growers plan to avoid dicamba, they might consider planting Xtend-Flex or Enlist systems next year. Crop rotation can also help manage weeds and Barber says there could be a shift away from cotton to more corn acres.