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* We’ve talked about the alleged damage caused to other crops from Monsanto’s new generation of soybean, which can tolerate exposure to its dicamba herbicide. The controversy is growing. From American Soybean Association President Ron Moore…
As nationwide reports of dicamba-related damage to soybeans and other crops continue to climb, the American Soybean Association reiterates its commitment to find a solution to the issue.
This issue isn’t going away — in fact, it’s only getting worse. There are now a reported 2,242 complaints affecting 3.1 million acres of soybeans in 21 of our 30 soybean-growing states, and we expect that number to continue to rise.
* WSIL TV…
Lawsuits against Monsanto continue to pile up pushing state agriculture boards to look into new regulations for next year that include cut off dates for application and strict times during the day for spraying.
Among the dozens of lawsuits against Monsanto, a large class action suit involving farmers from ten states including Illinois.
* Reuters…
New versions of the herbicide dicamba developed by Monsanto and BASF, according to farmers, have drifted across fields to crops unable to withstand it, a charge authorities are investigating.
As the crisis intensifies, new details provided to Reuters by independent researchers and regulators, and previously unreported testimony by a company employee, demonstrate the unusual way Monsanto introduced its product. The approach, in which Monsanto prevented key independent testing of its product, went unchallenged by the Environmental Protection Agency and nearly every state regulator. […]
In this case, Monsanto denied requests by university researchers to study its XtendiMax with VaporGrip for volatility — a measure of its tendency to vaporize and drift across fields.
The researchers interviewed by Reuters — Jason Norsworthy at the University of Arkansas, Kevin Bradley at the University of Missouri and Aaron Hager at the University of Illinois — said Monsanto provided samples of XtendiMax before it was approved by the EPA. However, the samples came with contracts that explicitly forbade volatility testing. [Emphasis added.]
* From AgriNews…
Because dicamba is considered a broadleaf-specific herbicide, damage can occur to soybeans, vegetables, fruit shrubs, orchards and trees.
* Tree damage appears to be happening in Illinois…
In Illinois, retired biologist Lou Nelms who operated a prairie seed nursey and was a researcher at the University of Illinois, has documented damage to oak trees across the state from dicamba and filed numerous complaints with Illinois Department of Agriculture and Department of Natural Resources. […]
But, in the cases of oak tree damage, internal Monsanto emails indicate that the company has tried to shift blame away from dicamba to other pesticides.
The emails were written by company lobbyists who shared them with the Illinois agriculture department. The emails were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Nelms filed more complaints in August about damage at the Sandra Miller Bellrose Nature Preserve, an area officially recognized by the Illinois Natural Preserve Commission, and at the 412.7 acre Revis Hill Prairie, an official state natural area.
The Monsanto correspondence followed Nelms filing complaints with the department.
Nelms filed one of his complaints, on the morning of August 16, with the Department of Natural Resources about dicamba damage to oak trees at the state nature preserve Funk’s Grove.
Funk’s Grove, about 10 miles south of Bloomington, Illinois, is one of just 654 undisturbed natural areas in the state of Illinois. The 25-acre forest is famed for its sugar maples and the syrup they produce. The nature preserve, a popular destination along the famed Route 66, is also home to oak trees hundreds of years old.
But this year, the leaves on the historic oak trees “cupped” and died, exhibiting clear signs of harm from either 2,4-D or dicamba, which is the most widely used weed killer of this type, Nelms said.
Just one hour later after Nelms’ August 16 complaint, Jeff Williams, a Monsanto lobbyist based in Springfield, Illinois, sent an email to Dave Tierney, the regional director governmental affairs in Des Moines, Iowa.
In the email, Williams wrote he had talked with Warren Goetsch, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and Wayne Rosenthal, the director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources the night before.
* Related…
* Herbicide damage hurts more than crops
* Despite Problems, Monsanto Exec Says Dicamba Use Will Only Grow
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 1:55 pm
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Bless these reporters for looking into this and calling out Monsanto.. We sure as heck know we can’t count on the government, state or federal at least, to blow the whistle and go after big chem and agra-business.
Comment by Sonny Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:03 pm
Attorney General Madigan should take action to protect State natural areas and protected nature preserves.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:16 pm
The federal EPA’s budget is so bare the federal EPA will not be able to help IL or other states with this or any other environmental problems.
Comment by Mama Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:22 pm
This has been a topic of discussion all summer on RFD radio. I have a land and water reserve that was fortunate not to be hit.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:25 pm
Some prosecutor is going to rise to fame using the RICO Act to go after one or more of the “Big Ag” companies and it is LONG overdue.
Comment by former southerner Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:30 pm
Does the Dept. of Ag regulate agriculture in Illinois for the benefit of the citizens or does it simply follow the lead of “Big Ag” (the large companies, producers, and industry groups)? It sure looks like the latter.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:31 pm
Scary stuff there. Monsanto and other big chem cos have had almost free reign it seems. Friends who live near farm fields have been noticing more damage to trees and shrubs in recent years.
I find myself buying mostly fruits and produce that are grown organically. I don’t usually scare easily but more friends are dealing with cancers and digestive problems.
Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:32 pm
Wayne and Warren won’t rock any boats. If you want change to happen on this issue in Illinois, it’s going to have to be through the legislature ordering the departments to have stricter than USEPA standards.
Bits and Pieces:
Rauner signed Oaktober into being last year- http://chicagorti.org/programs/oaktober-oak-awareness-month
Reuters has some really good info and map in this Sept. 5 article-
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pesticides-epa-exclusive/exclusive-epa-eyes-limits-for-agricultural-chemical-linked-to-crop-damage-idUSKCN1BG1GT
USGS Pesticide Use Map for Dicamba- https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/show_map.php?year=2015&map=DICAMBA&hilo=L
And before someone comments on the vine in the picture at Funks Grove- it’s not poison ivy-
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/br_greenbrier.htm
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 2:37 pm
This isn’t just happening in natural areas, small towns are seeing the same thing in their trees. I have been noticing the cupping of leaves all year this year. I am worried that this will continue until the trees die. I have a 40 year old ask in my yard that I have been taking special care of due to ash borers, but it’s leaves are cupping now as well.
Comment by Grandpa Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 3:54 pm
Guys, let’s not give a free pass to the farmers spraying this stuff. It’s a vegetation killer - when it damages or kills plants/trees that it drifts onto, it’s doing what it was designed to do. If you’re spraying this stuff, especially if there’s any wind blowing, you have as much responsibility as Monsanto when it kills or damages an unintended target. Don’t like that much risk? Then figure out how to keep your chemicals on your property.
Comment by Johnny Tractor Wednesday, Oct 11, 17 @ 4:31 pm
Johnny Tractor - ‘especially if there’s any wind blowing’
What you need to realize is that dicamba will drift weeks later if the conditions are right. It can be sprayed with no wind and still cause damage. Most responsible farmers and fertilizer companies do watch the conditions when they apply pesticides and herbicides. This stuff doesn’t act like the others and is dangerous the entire season.
Comment by ANONIME Thursday, Oct 12, 17 @ 7:42 am
How dicamba can move- http://agfax.com/2017/01/17/dicamba-off-target-drift-10-lessons-learned-the-hard-way-dtn/
Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Oct 12, 17 @ 8:24 am
Rich thanks for bringing this important news up. Anon221, thank you for the great information sources. Could not believe my home was suppounded by dicamba spraying.
Comment by Barrington Thursday, Oct 12, 17 @ 8:58 am