BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Agriculture Department is maintaining a cutoff date for applications of the herbicide dicamba on soybeans that it put in place last year.
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring also is advising applicators to be aware of updated federal rules.

The weed killer has been blamed by farmers nationwide in recent years for drifting and damaging neighboring crops. That prompted federal and state restrictions last year, including training for applicators and limits on when and how the chemical can be sprayed.

Goehring says a June 30 cutoff date for dicamba applications on soybeans that his agency imposed last year will remain in place this year.

The requirements appear to have worked. The number of damage complaints to the department dropped from more than 200 in 2017 to about 50 last year.