Dicamba Survey Available on the South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s Website

Following reports of dicamba-related damage to soybean crops, the South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA) encourages farmers who believe they are experiencing crop damage from dicamba to submit a survey to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA).

“The South Dakota Soybean Association takes reports of crop damage very seriously. The first step in the process is to investigate to determine the extent and cause of damage. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture has set up a survey for producers who suspect issues due to dicamba,” said Jerry Schmitz, farmer from Vermillion and SDSA President. “We encourage farmers to record detailed data from the first date of noticeable injury through harvest in an effort to determine how these products have affected your crop. While we encourage you to provide as much information as possible, we also recognize the sensitivity of some of the questions so please share only what you are comfortable sharing.”

Producers can complete the Dicamba Damage Survey at https://apps.sd.gov/doa/cat/dicamba.aspx. A link can also be found on the SDDA’s home page, www.sdda.sd.gov. Information from this survey will be used by the department to evaluate the impact of these products across the state.

“I know there are a number of producers who have experienced crop damage possibly due to dicamba,” Secretary of Agriculture Mike Jaspers said. “It is important for the department to have as much information as possible on the impacts producers are experiencing. Please consider filling out the survey on our website.”

The South Dakota Department of Agriculture will have a booth at Dakotafest in Mitchell, S.D., on Aug. 15, 16 and 17. Producers will have an opportunity to fill out the survey there as well if they visit the department’s booth, booth number 3107 in the Ag Tents.

Dicamba is a broad spectrum herbicide used for weed control. There are currently three dicamba products registered for use on dicamba tolerant soybeans in South Dakota: Engenia, FeXapan and Xtendimax.

In addition to the SDDA survey, Monsanto has set up an Xtend hotline for farmers to report any injury to soybeans that farmers suspect has been caused by dicamba. Contact 1.844.779.8363 to report any leaf cupping or other symptomology you are seeing in your fields that you believe might be the result of off-target herbicide movement. Once Monsanto has your report, one of their agronomic specialists will contact you to arrange a time to meet in your field and review the symptomology together. For more information on Monsanto’s Xtend hotline, farmers can review the company’s public letter on this issue.