December 5, 2017

NDFB requests Dicamba change

Topic: Issues

December 5, 2017: Sitting down at the table to address agricultural concerns with state leaders is part of agricultural advocacy. And yesterday, NDFB did just that to talk about Dicamba label requirements with Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.

Download the NDFB encourages Dicamba changes mp3

Read the transcript:

Agriculture advocacy, by an organization such as NDFB, requires us, at times, to sit at the table and have the discussions with the agencies that are responsible for regulating all farmers and ranchers.

We did just that, yesterday. We engaged in conversation with Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring regarding the new label requirements that are being set forth in the state of North Dakota for the use of Dicamba, a crop protectant that's important to a lot of farmers throughout our state, and throughout our nation.

There were things that concerned us, and we shared those with the commissioner and had a very fruitful discussion. We were able to come to an agreement that regulation needs common sense and responsible regulation that wasn't over-bearing and burdensome for those of us that are responsible for the use of products that are regulated.

And we as farmers and ranchers are very responsible and want to maintain our integrity, when using different crop protectants. And we must remember that those responsibilities are what's going to keep those products available for us in the future.

So that conversation with the commissioner was centered around the responsible use; making sure that we take time to make the record-keeping a priority, because it is that very record-keeping that will allow us to have these new technologies, and allow new technologies to be approved so we can grow more food out on the land.

And in the end, we came to the agreement that the more heavy-handed side of that new label requirement, the pre-notification before you apply the Dicamba crop protectant -- getting a hold of people in the ag department, making that proper notification, what is proper notification -- was going to be pulled from the label requirement.

Responsible regulation is needed, but responsible use, which in this case the record keeping is part of that responsible use, will keep that product available for us in coming growing seasons.

We thank the ag commissioner for the opportunity to have the discussion of the concerns of our member farmers. That's sitting at the table and working and advocating for agriculture, and that's what we do, at NDFB.