A University of Missouri report estimates that 1.1 million acres of soybeans have been accidentally damaged by dicamba so far this season, in spite of stricter usage limits. In Iowa, state officials have received 121 complaints of herbicide drift compared to 82 in early July of 2017. Iowa State University Extension Weed Specialist and Agronomy Professor Bob Hartzler says the significant increase in pesticide misuse cases indicates a stewardship problem.

Hartzler says further education may not be the answer to this stewardship issue.

Hartzler isn’t convinced further regulation is the solution either.

Hartzler says it’s a difficult situation to deal with, but farmers need to do a better job of selecting fields where the product is applied. He says they also need to more closely follow the label.