Associated Press writer Andrew Demillo reported yesterday that, “Arkansas regulators stood by their plan Wednesday to ban an herbicide that farmers in several states say has drifted onto their crops and caused damage, despite a request from lawmakers to reconsider the restriction and a lawsuit by a maker of the weed killer.
“The state Plant Board again voted in favor of its proposal to ban the use of dicamba from April 16 through Oct. 31. The proposed ban is scheduled to go before a legislative panel later this month.
“Lawmakers in December delayed considering the ban and asked the board to consider a new cutoff date based on scientific evidence and potentially a dividing line based on geography in the state. The 11-3 vote in favor of the ban Wednesday came after the board’s pesticide committee discussed the reasons for the cutoff dates and recommended sticking with the proposal.”
The AP article added that, “Republican Sen. Bill Sample, who had called for delaying a vote on the ban last month, said he backed the ban after hearing the committee discuss the reasons behind it.”
