Independent Seed Companies Weigh in on Dicamba Controversy

Like most independent seed sellers in the U.S., Sonny Beck sells Xtend soybean seed, designed to be tolerant of over-the-top dicamba applications. But the CEO of Beck's Hybrids, the fourth-largest seed company in the U.S., would like to sell other herbicide-tolerant traits, too -- such as LibertyLink (glufosinate-tolerant), Enlist (2,4-D-tolerant), LibertyLink-GT27 (glufosinate- and HPPD-tolerant), Roundup Ready and non-GMO soybeans.So when Beck's customers reported widespread issues with dicamba damaging non-Xtend soybeans this summer, Beck took action.His company sent a survey to thousands of Midwest growers and learned that 48% wanted to see the current dicamba labels changed or canceled. Beck recently sent a letter to EPA recommending that the dicamba label for XtendiMax, FeXapan and Engenia "be modified to restrict dicamba in its current formulations to pre-plant only."