Jonathan K. Croft, Agriculture Extension Agent – Orangeburg County
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implemented a rule that individuals purchasing and applying restricted use dicamba herbicide formulations participate in an approved certification-of-use program to obtain a Dicamba use license. The required training was due to the thousands of cases of dicamba herbicide injury to non-target plants across the US in 2017. During the fall of 2020, these herbicide labels were extended until December 31, 2025. With the extension of the labels, changes were made, and individuals purchasing and applying these herbicides would have to participate in a yearly dicamba use certification program.
To help local farmers and their employees meet the label requirements, Jonathan Croft hosted four virtual dicamba certification programs during winter 2022. These programs were held via Zoom, giving individuals not comfortable attending in-person programs an option to obtain the dicamba use license.
During these virtual programs, 285 individuals were educated on the user requirements for the restricted use dicamba herbicide formulations, labeled for post-emergent use on tolerant cotton and soybean crops in South Carolina.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
