EPA Disappointed in Court Ruling, Retailers Call for Immediate Stay

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler voiced disappointment in a court decision to vacate registrations for three dicamba herbicides. Wheeler says of the ruling, “The 2020 growing season is well underway, and this creates an undue burden for our first conservationists – farmers.” An appeals court last week vacated the registration for dicamba herbicides produced by Bayer, BASF and Corteva. The ruling does not affect a dicamba product from Syngenta. Several states have allowed farmers and applicators to continue to use dicamba products. Still, as Wheeler points out, the ruling implicates millions of acres of crops, and millions of dollars already spent by farmers. Wheeler says the EPA is “assessing all avenues to mitigate the impact of the Court’s decision on farmers.” The Ag Retailers Association urged Wheeler and the EPA to appeal the federal court ruling “using all legal avenues available.” The American Farm Bureau Federation said Monday in a letter to the EPA, “It’s imperative that the EPA quickly provide clarity to farmers.”