State Supreme Court issues stay on dicamba ruling

by George Jared ([email protected]) 575 views 

Farmers will be able to use dicamba until the end of June, thanks to a ruling from the state’s highest court.

On Tuesday (June 8), the Arkansas Supreme Court issued a stay in the ongoing litigation involving the use of the controversial herbicide.

The stay lifts a decision by a Pulaski County Circuit Court issued in late May which stopped a decision by the Arkansas Plant Board to allow farmers to use dicamba past the May 25th cutoff.

Farmers can still use the herbicide, but must adhere to stringent safety protocols.

In-crop application of dicamba shall be prohibited after May 25. A one-mile buffer in all directions must be maintained between the fields where dicamba is applied and research stations operated by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

A one-mile buffer in all directions must be maintained in all directions between the fields where dicamba is applied and fields where certified organic crops and commercially grown specialty crops (defined as at least 1,000 plants or average annual sales of $25,000 for three years) are grown.

A half-mile buffer must be maintained in all directions between fields where dicamba is applied and fields where soybeans and cotton that are not genetically engineered to resist dicamba are grown.