The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is again gathering information on plant damage that may have been caused by the use of the herbicide dicamba.

MDA is encouraging anyone with damage in the 2018 growing season to fill out a survey or register a complaint using MDA's dicamba complaint form webpage.

The survey will be open until Sept. 15.

Last year, MDA received 253 complaints related to the use of dicamba in Minnesota. The complaints centered on off-target movement that affected non-dicamba-tolerant soybeans, other sensitive crops and non-crop plants.

The University of Minnesota estimates the damaged area totaled 265,000 acres across the state.

In an effort to prevent off-target movement incidents this year, MDA added additional restrictions to the herbicide’s application: a June 20 cutoff date and an 85-degree-F temperature cutoff.

As of July 23, MDA had received 30 reports of alleged dicamba damage. Not all those reports requested an investigation.

Susan Stokes, MDA assistant commissioner, said in a news release that it is important to continue monitoring dicamba this year and to gather data.

“Last year’s survey gave us very valuable information, and this year’s survey will help the department as we look ahead to the 2019 growing season,” Stokes said.

Dicamba is an herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds in dicamba-tolerant soybeans, corn and a variety of other food and feed crops, as well as in residential areas. Dicamba belongs to a class of herbicides that is volatile and can drift and/or volatilize from the intended application area, if not used according to the label.

Off-target movement may cause unintended impacts, such as serious damage to non-targeted crops.

If you believe dicamba was used in violation of the label or law, and you wish to request an MDA investigation, call the Pesticide Misuse Complaint line at 651-201-6333, or file a complaint via the website listed above.

For more information on dicamba, visit MDA's dicamba damage webpage.

Source: MDA