Dicamba FAQ - 2024 Growing Season

June 12th or V4 growth stage for soybeans

Yes.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency issued an Existing Stocks Policy allowing the use of over-the-top dicamba formulations on soybeans and cotton in 2024.  The products affected are Engenia by BASF, XtendiMax by Bayer, and Tavium by Syngenta.

Dicamba products can be utilized in Illinois in accordance with the Existing Stocks Policy from USEPA.

May 13, 2024.  Sale and distribution of XtendiMax, Engenia, or Tavium must be completed by May 13, 2024, for Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.

June 12, 2024 or V4 growth stage (soybean).  Use of XtendiMax, Engenia, or Tavium must be completed by June 12, 2024, for Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.

On February 14, 2024, EPA issued an Existing Stocks Order to allow for the limited sale and distribution of dicamba OTT products that were already in the possession of growers or in the channels of trade and outside the control of pesticide companies as of the February 6, 2024 U.S. District Court ruling.

Under this order, end users of existing stocks may only use the formerly-registered products consistent with the previously approved labeling for the products and must stop use of these products by the relevant dates laid out in the Order.  End date for Sale and Distribution is May 13, 2024.  End date for Use is June 12, 2024 or V4 for soybeans.

All label restrictions and state specific restrictions remain in place.  Read the Existing Stocks Order for Dicamba here:  Dicamba Existing Stocks Policy

• Temperature Restriction:
  DO NOT apply this product if the air temperature at the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service forecasted high temperature for the nearest available location for the day of application exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit. (local National Weather Service forecast available at https://www.weather.gov)
  
• Cut-Off Date Restriction:
  DO NOT apply after June 12^th or V4 for soybeans.  This federally mandated cut-off date supersedes the State cutoff date.  ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY JUNE 12th.
• DO NOT apply when the wind is blowing toward adjacent residential areas.
• Must consult the FieldWatch sensitive crop registry before application.
• DO NOT apply when the wind is blowing toward any adjacent Illinois Nature Preserves Commission site. 

Prior to applying any of the three dicamba products labeled for in-crop use in soybean and cotton (Engenia, Xtendimax, and Tavium) in the 2024 growing season, a certified applicator must complete dicamba specific training.  If you received dicamba-specific training last year, you must still complete the training again in 2024. 

The training covers the product label requirements, recordkeeping requirements, weed management practices, buffer requirements and protection of sensitive crops, sensitive areas and endangered species, spray drift management, chemistry, mixing and handling, window of application, equipment preparation and special considerations. 

Certified applicators (both private and commercial) do not need to complete training to purchase the products, but you must complete training before applying the products.
 

Once the certified applicator successfully completes the on-line training, a certificate will be automatically generated. Per label requirements, applicators are required to retain certificates of training completion. If you have taken a dicamba-specific training and did not receive a certificate by email, or cannot locate the email, please contact the registrant hosting the training for that record.

The registrant-provided in-person training, webinars, and online training tutorials hosted by BASF, Bayer, and Syngenta are all accepted forms of dicamba specific training of the products. Any of the on-line training programs listed below can be utilized to provide certification for using dicamba in 2024.

• BASF on-line training is here: https://www.engeniaherbicide.com/stewardship.html
• Bayer on-line training is here: https://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/stewardship/Pages/default.aspx
• Syngenta on-line training is here: https://www.syngenta-us.com/herbicides/tavium-application-stewardship

NOTE: An applicator only needs to attend one of the training sessions provided by any of the manufacturers, regardless of which of the three dicamba products they apply.

Yes. Any dicamba training which is approved by the state in which the training is conducted will be considered acceptable training in Illinois.

Yes. HOWEVER, in these specific counties, a 310 foot in-field wind-directional spray drift buffer and a 57-foot omnidirectional in-field buffer are required to be maintained to protect federally listed threatened and endangered species.

The following areas may be included in the buffer distance calculations when directly adjacent to the treated field edges:

• Roads, paved or gravel surfaces, mowed grassy areas adjacent to field, and areas of bare ground from recent plowing or grading that are contiguous with the treated field.
• Planted agricultural field containing dicamba-resistant plantings of cotton or soybeans.
• Areas covered by the footprint of a building, silo or other manmade structure with walls and/or roof.

The buffers must be documented in the record of application.

You must follow the measures contained in the Endangered Species Protection Bulletin for the area in which you are applying. Bulletins can be obtained, no more than six months before application, at: https://www.epa.gov/espp/ .

There are 18 counties in Illinois that are required to establish the 310 foot downwind and the 57-foot omnidirectional buffer. Those counties include: Bureau, Effingham, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle, Livingston, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Peoria, Pike, Schuyler, St. Clair, Tazewell and Will.
 

No, the endangered species bulletins only allow planted agricultural fields containing dicamba-resistant plantings of cotton or soybeans to be included in the buffer calculation.
 

No. The label directions for dicamba products require certification, licensing and safety training of all individuals using these products. Direct supervision that is permitted for some other RUPs is not allowed for these products.
 

In order to obtain the most accurate forecast, IDOA requires consultation of www.weather.gov no earlier than one calendar day prior to the date of application. IDOA recommends that the applicator print a copy of the forecast to include with the application records. The forecast is obtained by entering the zip code of the nearest town to the proposed field of application.

Examples:

• On the day of application, the forecasted high temperature for the day per the NWS website is 84 degrees and the air temperature at the time of application is measured (as required by the product label) by the applicator to be 83 degrees. The application may proceed.
• The high temperature for the proposed application date per NWS website is forecasted to be 87 degrees at 5 p.m. The applicator measures the air temperature at the field at 10 a.m. to be 76 degrees.
•  This is a DO NOT APPLY situation because the forecast high for the day of application exceeds 85 degrees.
• The high temperature for the proposed application date per NWS website is forecasted to be 83 degrees at 5 p.m. The applicator measures the air temperature at the field at 2 p.m. to be 86 degrees.
•  This is a DO NOT APPLY situation because the air temperature at the time of application exceeds 85 degrees.

Prior to application, the applicator must consult the FieldWatch sensitive crop registry at https://www.fieldwatch.com and comply with all associated record keeping label requirements.

The federal label requires numerous elements to be kept for every individual application. Records must be generated within 72 hours after application and a record must be kept for every individual application. Although not required, each registrant has sample forms available that can be used for assistance in recordkeeping. US EPA requires record retention for 2 years.

Engenia Recordkeeping Form:
https://www.engeniaherbicide.com/content/dam/cxm/agriculture/engenia-herbicide/stewardship/application-checklist/documents/Engenia_Record_Keeping_Form_12-8-20.pdf

Tavium Recordkeeping Form:
https://assets.syngentaebiz.com/pdf/media/2021_Tavium_Record_Keeping_Form.pdf

Xtendimax Recordkeeping Form:

https://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/Documents/2024_Application_Record-Keeping_Form_XtendimaxVG.pdf?v=03182024

The INPC assists private and public landowners in protecting high quality natural areas and habitats of state-listed species through dedication or registration of such lands into the Illinois Nature Preserves System. These areas are afforded a high level of ecological protection pursuant to the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act. INPC site locations are available here.

Note: The mapping tool on the site includes several layers in addition to the INPC sites, including Illinois threatened and endangered species, Illinois natural areas inventory sites and IDNR owned and managed properties. Applicators can access the specific INPC site layer for information in seeking to comply with the dicamba labels.

No. Dicamba application CANNOT occur if the wind is blowing in the direction of adjacent sensitive crops or residential areas.
 

Yes, when using a qualified hooded sprayer, the required 240 foot downwind buffer required in non-endangered species counties may be reduced to 110 feet and the 310 foot downwind buffer required in endangered species counties may be reduced to 240 feet. Please visit your product specific website for complete details and requirements.

Applicators are encouraged to visit the National Weather Service website to verify the times of sunrise and sunset on that calendar day.