EPA, 2016a
Environmental Protection Agency, “COMPLIANCE ADVISORY: High Number of Complaints Related to Alleged Misuse of Dicamba Raises Concerns,” August 2016.
SUMMARY:
EPA and state agencies have received an unusually high number of reports of crop damage that appear related to misuse of herbicides containing the active ingredient dicamba. Investigations into the alleged misuse are ongoing. This Compliance Advisory is intended to provide information on the agricultural and compliance concerns raised by these incidents. FULL TEXT
USDA, 2014
United States Department of Agriculture, “Monsanto Petitions (10-188-01p and 12-185-01p) for Determinations of Nonregulated Status for Dicamba-Resistant Soybean and Cotton Varieties: Final Environmental Impact Statement,”
December 2014.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) received two requests (petitions) from Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO (Monsanto) seeking determinations of nonregulated status for genetically engineered (GE) plant varieties referred to as MON 87708 soybean and MON 88701 cotton, that have been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide dicamba (Monsanto, 2012b; 2012a). These GE plant varieties are currently regulated by APHIS, and Monsanto requests that APHIS grant the petitions (Petition 10-188-01p for MON 87708 soybean and Petition 12-185-01p for MON 88701 cotton), so that these varieties can be grown without any APHIS regulatory oversight. Since these two GE plant varieties are currently under APHIS regulatory oversight, the Agency requires
Monsanto to comply with a full range of safeguarding measures to ensure that these regulated GE plant varieties do not transfer or spread from their APHIS-approved outdoor planting sites. APHIS authorization is also required to move these regulated varieties interstate. Once a developer of a GE plant has obtained sufficient information to conclude that its regulated GE plant is unlikely to cause injury, damage, or disease to plants or plant products (i.e., pose a plant pest risk), it may submit a petition to APHIS to no longer regulate the organism. This is referred to as seeking nonregulated status. If a petition for nonregulated status is approved by APHIS, permits or notifications are no longer required by the Agency to grow or ship the GE plant throughout the United States and its territories. If APHIS determines that nonregulated status is appropriate for one or both the Monsanto GE varieties, they will no longer be subject to any regulations pursuant to Part 340. FULL TEXT
Benbrook Consulting Services, 2016
Benbrook Consulting Services, Use of Dicamba on Crops as Surveyed by the National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS), 2016.
SUMMARY:
Table detailing NASS reports of dicamba use (percent of total crop) and application rates. FULL TEXT
EPA, 2016c
Environmental Protection Agency, “Dicamba; Pesticide Tolerances,” Federal Register, 40 CFR Part 180, December 8, 2016.
SUMMARY:
This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of dicamba in or on cotton, gin byproducts; cotton, undelinted seed; soybean, forage; and soybean, hay. Monsanto Company requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Sets the cRfD at 0.04 mg.kg.day. FULL TEXT
Monsanto, 2005b
Monsanto, “Monsanto, UNL Sign Agreement to Develop Dicamba-Tolerant Crops,” Monsanto Press Release, March 23, 2005.
SUMMARY:
Monsanto press release announcing agreement with University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop dicamba-resistant crops. FULL TEXT
Monsanto, 2016a
Monsanto, Monsanto Meeting Whistle Stop Tour – Day 1, Monsanto Official Transcript, August 17, 2016.
SUMMARY:
Detailed transcript of Monsanto investor meeting in August 2016 where dicamba and glyphosate investments and projections were discussed. FULL TEXT
BASF, 2016a
BASF, Engenia Herbicide Label, December 20, 2016, EPA Registration Number: 7969-345.
SUMMARY:
EPA label for Engenia Herbicide for dicamba-resistant crops. FULL TEXT
Monsanto, 2016b
Monsanto, XtendiMax With VaporGrip Technology Herbicide Label, November 9, 2016, EPA Registration Number 524-617.
SUMMARY:
Label for XtendiMax with VaporGrip Herbicide for use with dicamba-tolerant crops. FULL TEXT
Kaskey and Mulvany, 2016a
Jack Kaskey and Lydia Mulvany, “Monsanto Seeds Unleash Unintended Consequences Across U.S. Farms,” Bloomberg, September 1, 2016.
SUMMARY:
Reports on dicamba damage in 2016 after Monsanto allows sales of dicamba-resistant crops even though the EPA had not yet approved the new dicamba formulations meant for use with the new GE seeds. Farmers tell Bloomberg they feel “compelled to buy the engineered Monsanto seed to avoid injury next season.” FULL TEXT
Barber, 2017
Tom Barber, “Dicamba Drift and Potential Effects on Soybean Yield,” AGWatch Network, July 7, 2016.
SUMMARY:
Tom Barber, an Extension Weed Scientist at the University of Arkansas, posts a chilling overview of what he has observed in soybean fields in several parts of the state. His piece “Dicamba Drift and Potential Effects on Soybean Yield” contains an ominous warning – “We have observed a 10% [soybean] yield loss from dicamba at rates as low as 1/1024X of the labeled rate” – a very low level of drift and/or movement following volatilization. Barber also warns that low rates of dicamba drift/movement onto soybeans, especially later in the crop’s growth cycle (i.e. R3-R5) can result in carryover of dicamba in the seed…triggering problems if the soybeans are used for seed in the next year and increasing dietary exposure levels. FULL TEXT