The EPA has opened a 30 day comment period to the public covering the topic of dicamba herbicide use with Bollgard II ExtendFlex cotton and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans.  This step is an important move forward for growers hoping to gain access to dicamba weed-management tools.

A limited commercial introduction of Bollgard II XtendFlex Cotton took place in 2015 with commercial launch in 2016. Monsanto announced its commercialization plans for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans in February. Monsanto’s Asgrow®, Channel® and regional brands, along with Corn States licensees, expect to introduce more than 70 soybean products across eight maturity groups with agronomic traits including resistance to nematodes and phytophthora root rot. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are broadly licensed to more than 100 seed brands.

Currently federal and state laws prohibit the use of dicamba on either Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans or Bollgard II ExtendFlex cotton since there are no products approved for that use.  Dicamba has been safely used is the U.S. as well as 25 other countries on corn, wheat, fallow and pasture land.  Approval would mean growers could use dicamba on soybeans tolerant to dicamba and glyphosate and on cotton tolerant to dicamba, glyphosate and glufosinate.

“Stakeholder comments will really make a difference,” said Kim Magin, Monsanto’s Director of Industry Affairs. “Supportive letters are important for regulators to understand the various perspectives from farmers and agricultural stakeholders.”

You can add your support to the process with Monsanto’s online tool.