The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Plant Board met on October 23 and fined a Missouri farmer $105,000 for nine violations of Arkansas laws and regulations regarding the use of dicamba in 2018.

 The Plant Board found that the farmer had committed four egregious violations by allowing dicamba drift and using dicamba after April 16, the cutoff date for dicamba in effect in 2018. The penalty for each egregious violation was assessed at $25,000. The Board also assessed a $1,000 penalty for each of the following violations: failure to provide records (two violations); failure to keep record; failure to obtain a New Technology Training certificate; and failure obtain a Private Applicator license.

 Arkansas law in effect at the time provides that a civil penalty of up to $25,000.00 may be assessed if the violations were egregious. The law in effect in 2018 provided that a violation is egregious only if significant off-target crop damage occurred as a result of the application of dicamba or an auxin-containing herbicide or any other new herbicide technology released after the effective date of August 1, 2017.

 The Board’s Findings and Order will be officially forwarded to the farmer in the coming days. He will have 30 days from his receipt of the Order to file an appeal.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies and programs for Arkansas agriculture and forestry to keep its farmers and ranchers competitive in national and international markets while ensuring safe food, fiber, and forest products for the citizens of the state and nation. Visit aad.arkansas.gov.

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