EPA’s Dicamba Approval Carries First-Ever Conservation Requirements

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Feb. 6 approval of over-the-top dicamba applications on cotton and soybeans establishes field-level conservation requirements when using the pesticide.

It’s the first time the agency has implemented mandatory label requirements. Under the 2026 EPA registration for over-the-top dicamba on soybeans and cotton, farmers must:

• Achieve at least 3 runoff/erosion mitigation points from a menu of conservation practices on each treated field.
• In some sensitive Pesticide Use Limitation Areas, farmers must achieve 6 points.
• Qualifying practices include cover crops, vegetative buffer strips, reduced or no-till, contour farming, and grassed waterways.

These practices are intended to reduce runoff, soil erosion, and movement of dicamba into waterways or habitats. Growers must document mitigation measures as part of label compliance, and legacy restrictions were also maintained in the two-year approval.

In response, Agricultural Retailers Assn. President and CEO Daren Coppock said the decision” preserves the safe use of OTT dicamba while maintaining workable, label-required mitigation measures for commercial applicators.” Read the full ARA statement.

American Soybean Assn. President Scott Metzger, an Ohio soybean grower, said, “Farmers need clear, workable rules that accurately reflect how we farm. We look forward to reviewing the final label and hope it incorporates the feedback ASA and its state affiliates provided to ensure dicamba remains a practical option within a responsible, science-based weed management system.” Read ASA’s full statement.

BASF said stewardship is a critical component of any pesticide registration, and it will continues to work with the EPA and state agencies to create national and state-specific training materials. The company will offer a suite of training options to ensure farmers and applicators understand the new Engenia herbicide label requirements. “Helping farmers and applicators understand these new label requirements and proper application techniques is something we take very seriously,” said Nick Fassler, Director, Technical Service, BASF Agricultural Solutions U.S. Read BASF’s full statement.