Soybean and cotton growers are challenging the EPA's recently announced restrictions for using the herbicide dicamba, claiming the new, more stringent conditions will disrupt growing seasons.
The American Soybean Association and Plains Cotton Growers Inc. filed a complaint Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia opposing the EPA's October 27 decision to allow the continued use of dicamba on tolerant crops, but with additional controls. The groups said in court filings that the restrictions “will limit growers' ability to respond to weather, pestilence, and other acts of God that significantly reduced yields and increase operational costs.”
They noted that spring rains, flooding, wind and hail “can force soybean and cotton growers into planting or replanting their crops as late as June.”
EPA is restricting soybean growers from applying dicamba products after June 30 each year, while cotton growers face the same restriction after July 30 each year. They also took issue with the buffer requirements that EPA announced.
The trade associations asked the court to remand those restrictions in the EPA's registrations for dicamba products, claiming the buffers and time restrictions are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not otherwise in accordance with law.