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On February 6, the EPA announced the approval of over-the-top applications of some dicamba-containing herbicides for two years (2026-2027). The three products affected by this announcement are Stryax (Bayer CropScience), Engenia (BASF), and Tavium (Syngenta). The 2026 labels will expire on February 6, 2028. Some key points from the labels are listed below.
- Restricted Use Pesticide designation: Only certified applicators with dicamba-specific training can make applications.
- Mandatory record keeping: Keep detailed records of every application to show that all label requirements were followed.
- Mandatory conservation practices: All applications require 3 runoff mitigation points. Some pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs) will require 6 points. The Pesticide App for Label Mitigations (PALM) can be used to determine the number of mitigation points for a field.
- Information pertaining to applications in PULAs can be found on the Bulletins Live Two website within six months prior to the applications.
- Buffer Zones: A 240 ft downwind drift buffer is required for all applications. This buffer distance can be reduced by using practices listed on the Mitigation Menu website.
- Proximity restrictions: Applications are not allowed if sensitive plants are planted on an adjacent downwind field or area.
- Mandatory Drift Reduction Agent (DRA): An oil emulsion drift reducing agent (DRA) must be used in every application at 0.3% volume-to-volume and a minimum spray volume of 15 gallons/acre.
- Doubled volatility reduction agents: All applications include a mandatory use of 40/oz per acre of approved volatility reducing agent (VRA). Qualified VRAs will be listed for each herbicide on their product website listed on the label.
- Maximum application rate cut in half: A maximum of 0.5 lbs ae/A can be applied per application. Up to two applications may be made per year.
- Aerial application prohibition: Aerial application is strictly prohibited, including applications with unmanned aerial systems (UAS)
- Application timing restrictions:
- Do not apply in an inversion.
- Do not apply if rain is expected within 4 hours, if it is raining, or if the soil is saturated.
- Applications must be made between 1 hour after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset.
- Herbicides may not be applied after R1 soybean or after 7 days before cotton harvest
- Tank mixing prohibition: Don’t include AMS in applications
- Droplet size requirements: Only approved nozzles with droplet size of coarse or larger may be used.
- Spray Height: Maximum boom height is 24 inches above the target pest or crop canopy.
- Wind Speed requirements: Wind speed must be between 3 and 10 MPH at boom height
- Ground Speed: Ground speed must be 15 MPH or less
- Check http://www.weather.gov to determine the temperature for the day of application and the day after application.
- Temperature-based application limits: Do not apply if forecasted temperatures are greater than 95°F on the day of or the day after the application. Additionally, when temperatures are 85-95°F, applicators can only treat 50 % of their dicamba-tolerant acres in a county.
- Additional restrictions: Users must check each herbicide's website listed on the label no more than 7 days before the application and comply with any additional restrictions that are listed.
Sarah Lancaster, Weed Science Extension Specialist
slancaster@ksu.edu
Frannie Miller, Pesticide Safety and IPM Coordinator
fmiller@ksu.edu
Tags:
dicamba label requirements herbicides EPA