Tag Archives: Stanley Culpepper UGA

Dicamba Returns as Critical Tool in Georgia’s Fight Against Pigweed

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Tifton, GA |

For Georgia farmers, few sights are more alarming than a field overtaken by pigweed. The aggressive, invasive species can grow more than an inch per day and has developed resistance to multiple herbicides — making it one of the most challenging weeds producers face.

In 2024, one of their most effective tools in that fight — dicamba — was taken off the table due to product registration issues. Now, thanks to a recent EPA ruling, dicamba products will once again be available for use this growing season, though under stricter conditions.

“Number one, you got to have a restricted use pesticide license, the applicator themselves,” said Stanley Culpepper, Extension Weed Specialist with the University of Georgia. “So, if you’re going to use that on the farm, make sure the applicator’s got that license. If you don’t have that license, now is a good opportunity to go and get that.”

Culpepper says mandatory training will also be required.

“The second thing, which is not new, but is very important is there’s required, mandatory training,” he explained. “And with the required, mandatory training, that is when we will focus on all the changes on the label. And in fact, there are probably about fifteen different items on the label that we will go through.”

New Restrictions in Place

Among the most significant updates are a cap of two-and-a-half pounds of dicamba applications per year and a requirement that forty ounces per acre of an approved volatility reduction agent be added to each application.

While those extra steps add another layer of responsibility, growers say access to dicamba is critical — especially considering how much of Georgia’s cotton seed was developed specifically for dicamba tolerance.

“This is obviously a huge deal for cotton in Georgia and cotton producers in Georgia,” said Taylor Sills, Executive Director of the Georgia Cotton Commission. “Because the vast majority of cotton in Georgia has that dicamba tolerant trait as part of its trait package. So, I mean, it’s a tremendous, tremendous deal. You know, it’s something that producers were paying for and not having access to when they procured the seed that had that trait in the package.”

Balancing Access and Accountability

The return of dicamba has not been without controversy. Environmental groups have raised concerns in the past about spray drift and off-target movement. However, Culpepper says Georgia growers have made tremendous strides in responsible use.

“I think one thing we have to celebrate in the state of Georgia, is over the last decade, our growers have reduced off target pesticide movement by over ninety-one percent,” Culpepper said. “They are true stewards. They are the environmentalists of environmentalists. They’re the true stewards of agriculture. When they apply herbicide, they have done their homework. They know exactly how to maximize on target application, maximize control.”

Still, the industry understands that scrutiny will remain high during this two-year registration period. Farmers know continued access depends on strict compliance.

“I think with what we’ve been through, this is probably our last opportunity to prove not only to our regulatory partners, but to prove to ourselves and our consumers that we can steward these tools,” Culpepper said. “And again, Georgia’s shown that. We have truly shown that. We’ve adopted these technologies. We’re using them on large acreage.”

With pigweed pressure unlikely to ease anytime soon, Georgia producers are hopeful this renewed access — paired with responsible application — will help protect yields and preserve a critical line of defense in their fields.

By: Damon Jones

Dicamba Ban Forces Georgia Farmers to Rethink Weed Control | Pigweed Management in 2025

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Tifton, GA |

With cotton prices down and margins tighter than ever, Georgia farmers are laser-focused on maximizing yield—and that starts with effective weed control. But for many, keeping fields free of pigweed just got more difficult after a U.S. court ruling banned the use of over-the-top dicamba herbicides last year.

“It’s very important,” says Stanley Culpepper, Weed Extension Scientist with the University of Georgia. “Older chemistries—products labeled for pastures, turf, or for burndown—those labels weren’t impacted. But the Engenia, XtendiMax, and Tavium labels were, and they’ve been extremely important to us in both cotton and soybean production.”

Unlike previous restrictions, this latest ban wasn’t based on environmental or health concerns. Instead, it stemmed from a procedural error—specifically, the EPA’s failure to open dicamba’s registration for public notice and comment. That misstep triggered a potential 28-month review process.

“We didn’t lose those labels because of an environmental issue,” says Culpepper. “It was a procedural issue when registering the product during the last process. As of today, it’s still not looking very favorable for 2025. We recommend growers start thinking about alternative systems—we’ve been doing that for a couple of months—and we’re working hard for 2026. But I’ll tell you, there are no guarantees.”

Despite the setback, Culpepper says there are other effective options available, depending on the seed trait technology being used. However, these programs demand sharper precision and tighter timing.

“You’re looking at an Enlist program—kind of that 2,4-D system—or a Liberty-based program,” he says. “Both can be effective, but only if we make sure there are no weeds at planting. You have to be super timely—more timely than with the dicamba-based program. We can still control this weed, we just need to be more on top of our game this year. We can’t play catch-up like we’ve been able to in the past.”

As input costs continue to rise, farmers are carefully weighing every decision. But Culpepper warns that cutting back on herbicide programs may cost more in the long run.

“Weed management is one of many important components for sustainability on our family farms,” he says. “In a year like this, you’re typically trying to save money. But when it comes to weed management—especially with Palmer amaranth—there’s not a lot you can cut. We’re already using every tool in the toolbox.”

For growers navigating a tough season, staying proactive in the face of change may be the most important tool of all.

By: Damon Jones

Southeast Farmers Tackle Herbicide Compliance & Sustainability at Regional Conference

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Savannah, GA |

Fruit and vegetable growers from all over the Southeast made their way to the annual Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable conference – an event that’s meant to equip producers within the industry with all the tools and knowledge that they need to see success back on their operations and remain sustainable for years to come.

“There is an intrinsic value in coming together and visiting with old friends and strengthening those existing relationships; those matter, because in these tough times, those are the people that you can count on. So, it’s great just to bring everybody together in the same room. It’s also great to bring everybody together and get them up to date on rules for compliance, on things like the H-2A labor program, pesticide regulations and other regulations. They face a whole host of agencies that are worried about what’s going on, and we need to make sure that we’re providing them with the correct information to stay on the right side of compliance,” says Chris Butts, Executive Vice President for the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

Compliance of course a huge topic of concern for growers as they adapt to changing herbicide requirements as the EPA works to develop a framework to ensure growers and producers are applying herbicides in a way that is on target and adheres to the Endangered Species Act: one of which has to do with mitigating surface runoff.

“We will have specific mitigation requirements to prevent the pesticide from leaving the field through runoff, and we will be given certain points on a herbicide label that we must meet. For example, there’s a product out now called Liberty Ultra, it’s the first real example. It has three points for runoff. So, me as a grower, to apply that product I have to achieve three points in mitigation measures on my field to be able to use that product. So we have this new restriction, but we also are providing the mitigation measures, right? It’s not just one or two measures; there’s a bunch of measures to help ensure the product stays on target,” says Stanley Culpepper, Extension Weed Scientist.

Culpepper says they also have specific requirements when it pertains to mitigating particle drift, which again is meant to ensure producers are remaining on-target when using.

“There’s certain measures that we can do as applicators to make sure what goes on target. Just to give you an example, if we’re twenty-four inches above the target versus forty-eight inches above the target, we cut off target or drift movement by fifty percent just from that one measure, and they have developed a credit system where we can reduce buffer. Again, each time we implement one of these measures, that I promise our science based, you’re doing a better job,” says Culpepper.

Culpepper says that growers shouldn’t be worried about this right now as this is the time to become educated, however, he believes growers need to be engaged with this process as much as possible.

“We’ve been working on this for three to five years. We have a lot of growers in the state of Georgia that have monumentally changed where we’re at on the Endangered Species Act today versus two years ago. I am not kidding when I tell you what was proposed two years ago, we wouldn’t have a farm left. We would not have a farm left if it was not for the engagement from our agricultural community, including our farmers. Working together with a little time, we will not only overcome these challenges, we will be better for putting the product on target, keeping it there. Keep in mind, long term, everybody knows what’s happening in our country, but long term, if we cannot make sure these products go exactly where they need to go and they stay there, you’re not going to have them,” says Culpepper.

By: John Holcomb