The EPA has reapproved the herbicide dicamba for use on genetically modified cotton and soybeans, adding “new limits on when and how it can be sprayed”. Dicamba is used to control tough weeds that can hurt crop yields, and the updated rules are intended to “lower the chances of the chemical drifting beyond the fields where it’s applied”.
Dicamba also has a long record of drifting away from target areas and damaging neighboring crops, gardens, trees, and native plants. That kind of movement can reduce plant diversity and affect pollinators and wildlife that rely on those plants. Researchers have also examined potential health risks for people with repeated or high exposure, such as agricultural workers. Studies have shown associations with certain cancers (e.g., liver cancer, leukemia types) and other biological effects. Past court decisions have found earlier approvals didn’t fully account for environmental harm. This decision by the Trump administration prioritizes industry and crop-management goals over environmental and public safety.
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