Dicamba training sessions provided by the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and Purdue University Extension were well-attended in 2018. Due to the manpower and expense involved in the training, OISC and Extension won’t be providing it in 2019.

However, Dave Scott, OISC pesticide administrator, emphasizes you must still obtain training. It’s required by 2019 labels for XtendiMax, Engenia and FeXapan herbicides. The training will be offered by the companies that make and sell the products.

Perhaps you’ve already received information on training from product registrants. Even so, here is information that clarifies what you can expect regarding dicamba training this year. It was prepared using the extensive frequently asked questions fact sheet Scott posted under “Dicamba information now available” at oisc.purdue.edu.

• Why you need training if you will use dicamba soybean herbicides. Even if you received mandatory dicamba training last year, you must complete it again this year and next year to be able to purchase and use these products legally. In addition, starting this year, you must be a fully certified and licensed commercial applicator in Category 1 or a private applicator, a farmer, to purchase or use these products. These requirements were spelled out when U.S. EPA extended use of these products through 2020.

• Where you can get training information. Unlike in 2018, when only OISC-approved trainers provided mandatory dicamba training in Indiana, in 2019 the training will be the responsibility of the product registrants: BASF, Bayer/Monsanto and Corteva/DuPont. OISC recommends that you contact your supplier for details. Mandatory dicamba training presented by any of these registrants will qualify you to purchase and use any of the three dicamba-soybean systems. Details will be posted by registrants on their respective websites: engeniastewardship.com; fexapanapplicationrequirements.dupont.com; and roundupreadyxtend.com/stewardship.

• Will training sessions occur at Extension or PARP meetings? It’s likely that mandatory dicamba training sessions may be tagged on to the end of some 2019 continuing certification hour and private applicator recertification programs. Such PARP and CCH programs may also include a short “dicamba updates” segment presented by someone other than the product registrant’s representative. Attendance at a dicamba updates session is not required to purchase or apply these products in 2019. Conversely, a dicamba update doesn’t qualify as the mandatory dicamba training required by the label.

• Certificates or evidence of training. Whatever evidence of completing the mandatory dicamba training that the registrants choose to provide to the trainee will be the evidence of training recognized by OISC. When conducting dicamba compliance inspections and investigations in 2019, OISC investigators will ask to see evidence of training provided to the applicator. OISC will not keep dicamba training records for 2019, as was done in 2018. The applicator will be solely responsible for keeping proof of training.

• Out-of-state training. Either registrant training or state-mandated training from another state will satisfy the mandatory dicamba label requirement in Indiana. However, it will be the responsibility of the applicator to provide proof of training to OISC, if requested. If spraying in another state, contact the state agency directly to see what training it requires or accepts. Find contact information at the Association of American Pesticide Control Officials website.