EPA announces new five-year registrations for two dicamba products and extended the registration of one dicamba product, putting additional control measures in place for their use.
New registrations for two “over-the-top” (OTT) dicamba products—XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology and Engenia Herbicide—and extended the registration for an additional OTT dicamba product—Tavium Plus VaporGrip Technology—were announced by EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler at a Georgia farm.
These registrations are only for use on dicamba-tolerant (DT) cotton and soybeans and will expire in 2025, the agency said.
EPA also put new control measures in place to address drift of the herbicide, including that a pH-buffering agency be tank mixed with OTT products, a downwind buffer of 240 feet and 310 feet will be required in areas where listed species are located, OTT applications will be prohibited after June 30 on soybeans and July 30 on cotton and there will be simplified label and use directions. The 2020 registration labels also offer new flexibilities for growers and states, including the use of certain hooded sprayers to reduce the downwind spray buffer.
EPA said they believe the action addresses issues raised in the June 2020 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling and the control measures now requested means the registrations “do not affect or are not likely to adversely affect endangered or threatened species.
Some environmental groups decried the EPA action and it is not clear if they will seek to challenge this latest decision in court.