TOPEKA (KSNT) – A controversial weed killer widely used by Kansas farmers is back in the spotlight after the Environmental Protection Agency introduced stricter rules for its use.
Dicamba, commonly used in soybean and cotton fields, has faced years of legal challenges along with environmental concerns. The EPA released new regulations early last month in an effort to reduce chemical drift of the weed killer and protect endangered species.
Weed control is critical for farmers, as unmanaged weeds can quickly take over fields and damage crop yields.
“You know, they can literally take over an entire field to where you don’t have a productive crop,” said Kaleb Little, CEO of the Kansas Soybean Association.
Kansas State University Extension Weed Specialist Sarah Lancaster says dicamba is widely used in Kansas because it can control weeds that have become resistant to other herbicides.
“Herbicide resistance, in my opinion, is one of the number of challenges that a lot of our farmers face, and so right now dicamba is a really good tool for a lot of folks,” Lancaster said.
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The herbicide has drawn criticism because it can drift through the air and damage nearby plants. Lancaster says heat increases the chances of that happening.
“The hotter it is, the more likely it is to evaporate,” Lancaster said. “Water eventually goes from being a liquid to a vapor. Herbicides do the same thing.”
Lancaster also says some farmers feel pressure to use dicamba-based systems if neighboring farms are using them.
“I was talking to folks who felt like they were locked into growing a particular type of herbicide because that’s what all their neighbors were doing,” Lancaster said. “It wasn’t maybe their herbicide of choice, but it was what the neighbors were doing.”
Experts say the new EPA regulations are intended to limit drift and runoff while keeping the agency in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
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