Arkansas Plant Board Votes to Adopt Dicamba Cut-Off Date

Arkansas State Plant Board members voted on Nov. 8 during a public hearing and board meeting to approve regulatory changes for the application of products labeled for agricultural use that contain dicamba in Arkansas.

Changes will prohibit dicamba use in Arkansas between April 16 and Oct. 31. The move effectively bans its use in the state as applications would fall during the prohibited period.

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The regulations include exemptions for the use of dicamba in pastures, rangeland, turf, ornamental, direct injection for forestry, and home use. The regulation change is now subject to final approval by the executive subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council.

The Board’s regulatory changes concerning the use of dicamba were subject to a 30-day public comment period which ended on Oct. 30. Over 29,000 public written comments were received by email, mail, and fax. Thirty-seven individuals provided testimony at the public hearing on Nov. 8.

On Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Plant Board will host a public hearing and board meeting to consider changes to the Arkansas Pesticide Control Act Regulation, Regulations under Act 410. ACA 2-16-402 (b).The proposed regulations would clarify the Plant Board’s ability to request additional information about a pesticide before it is registered for use in the State of Arkansas. Find details, here.

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Monsanto’s Partridge Addresses the Board

Monsanto’s Vice President of Global Strategy, Scott Partridge, addressed the board to ask permission to make Monsanto’s XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology available to Arkansas farmers for in-crop use next season.

He pointed to the state’s 2017 soybean harvest being on track to set records, and cited a USDA forecast of 52 bu/acre, representing an 8% yield increase in 2017 over 2016. The yield increase represents $123 million in additional revenue for Arkansas farmers, Partridge said.

“The data, shown through significant research as well as through EPA’s approval of the enhanced label, support that XtendiMax is a low-volatility formulation that can be used effectively,” a Monsanto spokesman said.

In addition, Partridge said that in 91% of off-target movement inquiries evaluated to date (1,114 of 1,222), applicators have self-reported errors from one or more label requirements checked that could have contributed to drift.

Partridge bullet-pointed “Monsanto’s commitments for successful use of XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology in 2018”:

  • Evolving and tailoring our trainings based on 2017 learnings
  • Distributing spray nozzles at no cost that are compliant with product label
  • Setting up technical support call center to help applicators easily
    access information on best practices and application requirements
  • Developing spray app for applicators to help them avoid problematic weather conditions to achieve on-target applications
  • Offering free flags to mark Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System fields
  • Engaging retailers on best management practices
  • Offering discounts on Redball-Hooded Sprayers with qualifying XtendiMax purchase

 

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