How many BPA loss or gain have you experienced with Dicamba drift?

Question

I had 130 A Liberty Beans, across the fence to the east my neighbor had about 260 A Beans. He applied Dicamba. Damaged my entire field. About the 1st 500 feet lost the top 7 leaves. The whole field sat for about 30 days and then started growing new leaves out the top. The flowers and pods that were there stayed but the new growth did not produce new pods. He got a total of 4 neighbors from different fields, His insurance man called me and said he did not have coverage for that damage.  What have you experienced and how did you handle it?  Thank you for your help. .. *****

Answer

The first year of widespread Xtend beans, I used a labeled dicamba product.  One of the neighbors also did the same (Xtend beans) and had a coop spray his.  When I sprayed in one of the fields, I purged the boom with a remote and walked around back to make sure it was blowing away from another neighbors non-dicamba beans.  There was no spray drift from my sprayer.  Several days later damage started to show.   Pertaining to your question only, the outside rows of the closest field looked really bad.  Apparently the dicamba volatalized and moved..  Now, when that neighbor combined, he had opportunity to collect insurance from me.(which should have come from Monsanto) he denied claim.  He stated that the yield went down the farther into his field he got.  Another neighbor who had a coop spray his beans.  There was an apparent clean out problem.    He asked for damages.   I wanted to maintain a good standing with my neighbors.  My insurance company, to the best of my knowledge, did that.  Now, I think that one or more claimed damage where there probably shouldn't have.     My note is this, did you have a yield monitor and or a weigh check?  The whole dicamba thing has a bad taste for me.  The approach the chem companies did before and after, meeting with the agents and what they did and didn't want to talk about after the volatalization, the responsibility and blame.  We were told before had that it would not volitalize.  It did.  Now the parameters under which we are supposed to spray, there ain't no way it is worth the risk.   You think you had loss because it looked bad.   First, as I said before, did you actually have a yield loss.  If you did,  your neighbor owes you. Deal in facts, not speculation.   If you  can't prove it, I would forget it.  You will be more emotionally healthy if you can.   The applicating neighbor is aware and knows you are not happy.    In the future try to communicate with neighbors and if it is possible, all plant the same thing!!!!  I wish you well and grieve with you in your chaos.

Answer

We had drift on us a few years back.  It went over 300 acres and traveled 1.5 miles.  Beans on the ends rows nearest the application made 7 bushels per acre.  Next check made 19.  As you moved away even with  visible  Damage yield increased.  By the time you got the 1.5 miles away they made over 70.  Lighter damage kicks the plant into over drive it seems and it produces.  In the middle the plants were very tall and fell over.  But as a whole the field ended up being average for the year.  We did settle with his insurance company.

Call (844) 200-FARM

How many BPA loss or gain have you experienced with Dicamba drift?

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