The Arkansas Plant Board will conduct a public hearing beginning at 9 a.m., Nov. 8, on its proposal to ban over-the-top in-season dicamba herbicide use from April 16-Oct. 31.
The regulations include exemptions for dicamba use in pastures, rangeland, turf, ornamental, direct injection for forestry, and home use.
The regulations are similar to those approved earlier by the Dicamba Task Force and the Plant Board’s Pesticide Committee.
The hearing will come after a 30-day public comment period. Following the comment period and hearing, the final proposed rule will be sent to the executive subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council for final approval.
At its September meeting, the board approved a new regulation that establishes notice procedures for requesting additional research and for restricting products beyond Environmental Protection Agency approval.
This regulatory change will also be subject to a 30-day public comment period, which will be followed by a public hearing to be held in conjunction with the board’s next quarterly meeting Dec. 12. Following the public hearing, the final proposed rule will also be forwarded to the executive subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council for final approval.
Also at the September meeting, the Plant Board reviewed a petition for ruling making filed by Monsanto, the registrant of one of three reduced-volatility dicamba products. Board members voted unanimously to deny the petition and will work with legal staff to prepare a response.
Monsanto markets XtendiMax with VaporGrip technology for use with its Xtend soybeans and XtendFlex cotton—crops genetically engineered to tolerate dicamba. BASF markets Engenia and DuPont has FeXapan with VaporGrip technology, two other low-volatility dicamba products for use with the Xtend system.
Read the full meeting notice by clicking here. The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 11301 Financial Centre Parkway, Little Rock, Arkansas.