Mississippi Congressmen Michael Guest, along with Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop, recently worked together to write a bipartisan letter to send to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler to encourage the EPA to issue new registrations for dicamba products. The letter stated:

“Dear Administrator Wheeler:

We write today to encourage the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue new registrations for dicamba products Engenia®, Xtendimax®, and FeXapan®. We also support issuance of these registrations quickly and in simple, clear, and understandable language so that producers can make herbicide and seed purchasing decisions ahead of the 2021 crop year.

We understand that the Agency’s decision on dicamba re-registration has been challenging due to the June decision by the 9th Circuit Court to vacate all three registrations. However, we also understand the EPA now has newer data and information on the products, as well as further instructions by states and their producers on safe application of this pesticide. Additional training has been successful in many states, and we are confident that the EPA will be able to address the issues raised by the court.

These three products are used across millions of acres of dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton to manage broadleaf weeds throughout the crop growing season. It is especially important for these two crops that weed control is managed throughout the growing season, not simply until crop-emergence. The ability to control weed growth, regardless of when weeds occur during the growing process, ensures a full, successful crop. We hope that any re-registration will allow for the over the top application of the dicamba products throughout the growing season.

Re-registration would have a positive impact across the entire industry, from producers to suppliers. Without re-registration, the industry may not be able to handle the demand shifts that would result from the unavailability of these products. During these trying times for our producers, in which they have battled a pandemic, natural disasters, and fluctuating markets, it would be unfair to subject them to such changes that may impact the cost and effectiveness of their growing season. Without these products, we are also removing an additional crop protection tool that is critical to producers, as they have invested significantly into the dicamba tolerant trait crop.

We appreciate the support you and your agency have provided to our farmers and ranchers. We encourage EPA to proceed swiftly with re-registering these dicamba products so that our producers can have a clear and understandable direction going into the 2021 crop year.”

The following have cosigned the letter:

Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS)

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA)

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC)

Rep. Roger Marshall (R-KS)

Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS)

Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA)

Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC)

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)

Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH)

Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS)

Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE)

Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN)

Rep. James Comer (R-KY)

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC)

Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-NC)

Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN)

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL)

Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)

Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-LA)

Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN)

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL)

Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA)

Rep. David Roe (R-TN)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN)

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN)

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS)

Rep. Mark Green (R-TN)

Rep. John Rose (R-TN)

Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH)

Letter cosigners are still being collected.