By Joli A. Hohenstein

If you are dreading the thought of completing annual dicamba application training, Bayer has your back. The company recently launched an all-new, completely flexible and easy-to-use online training platform. Approved in 30 of 34 regulating states, the Bayer dicamba training program makes it quick and easy for growers to meet the new EPA requirement, no matter how many states you farm in.

“The system is smart; it covers the states you need it to,” says Alex Zenteno, dicamba product manager at Bayer, “and you can choose whether to go through the course at your own pace or log on for a guided webinar with live instruction.”

The new EPA training requirements, announced in October 2020, require that certified applicators be trained specifically for application of dicamba products, in an effort to enhance overall industry stewardship and label compliance. Note that this dicamba-specific required training is different from certified applicator training. It does not replace the requirements to become a certified applicator or to maintain a certified applicator’s license.

While Bayer experts present the training, it covers everything applicators and growers need to apply dicamba over the top, including the following products: Bayer’s XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology; BASF’s Engenia® Herbicide; Syngenta's Tavium® plus VaporGrip® Technology herbicide and future dicamba products approved for use over-the-top in the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System.

Topics covered in the course include: application timing, record keeping, sprayer cleanout, using volatility reducing adjuvants, determining buffer distances, application conditions specific to certain states, dicamba restrictions, new dicamba labeling, reducing the potential for drift and best management practices for dicamba application.

The self-guided course should take less than an hour, and growers need only a strong internet connection and an updated browser. (Chrome, Firefox or Safari are recommended.) Take it any time that is convenient for you – 24 hours, 7 days a week. Once you click to begin the course, you have 24 hours to complete it, and you do not have to complete it all at once. Simply register for the course, and you may begin it immediately.

As another option, Bayer provides guided online webinars every Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 am central time. These live webinars, conducted by Bayer subject matter experts and scientists, allow more interactive instruction, and offer attendees the opportunity to ask questions and request more information as needed, in a virtual class setting. Pre-registration is required for the guided online webinars.

The training program is designed so that growers and applicators can complete their required training for more than one state at a time. Specify the states for which you are certifying, and the program will adjust to include requirements specific to those states. Once you have completed the program, you will receive a printable certificate for proof of training – one for each state-approved training you complete.

Currently, 34 states have dicamba regulations, and Bayer’s training has been accepted in all but four: Alabama, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Those states require state-provided training, which you can find through each state’s pesticide regulatory agency. (Find contact information for specific state agencies at the National Pesticide Information Center website.) Of course, Bayer welcomes and encourages growers and applicators from these states to take the training as part of their commitment to stewardship and compliance.

“We’re committed to positioning growers and applicators for success in 2021 and beyond, and we know making it as easy as possible for them to educate themselves and meet the requirements for certification is a critical first step,” says Zenteno.

Access Bayer’s dicamba training – self-guided courses as well as webinars – by visiting roundupreadyxtend.com and clicking on Training & Stewardship to register.

Joli A. Hohenstein is an agriculture writer based in Decatur, IL.