Federal registration approved for three dicamba products labeled for OTT application to resistant soybean 

On February 6, 2026, it was announced that three products labeled for over-the-top dicamba applications in soybean are now federally approved for the 2026 growing season. The three products, Stryax (Bayer)¹, Engenia (BASF)², and Tavium (Syngenta) are in various phases of label release and state registration. This approval is time-limited, only valid through the next two years, at which time it will be subject to further review. The following are new restrictions for the 2026 growing season from the EPA³:

• A maximum of two applications of 0.5 lbs. of dicamba per acre may be made annually, for a maximum of 1.0 lb. of all dicamba products annually.
• 40 oz./acre of approved Volatility Reduction Agent (VRA) must be added to every application.
• Growers must achieve 3 runoff/erosion mitigation points from EPA's certified conservation practices menu on each treated field to protect endangered and threatened species. In some geographically-specific pesticide use limitation areas (PULAs) where especially vulnerable species require additional safeguards, 6 points are required.
• For applications occurring on a day with a forecasted temperature between 85-95°F on the day of or the day after application, a user may only treat up to 50% of their untreated dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybean acres in a county. Remaining DT soybean acres may not be treated until at least two days after the initial application.

New to the list of application requirements, and for the use of herbicides in general, is the runoff mitigation points necessary for application and the process of checking Bulletins Live Two! for additional restrictions. Several areas requiring additional mitigation measures, called Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs), exist in Ohio. Within the areas shaded in pink and outlined in yellow, 3 additional points for runoff and erosion must be achieved for a total of 6 points (Figure 1).  

Areas across the state already have 2-3 points based on location by county. In the map below, counties in green automatically have three points, and counties in blue have two points (Figure 2). Also helpful is that the EPA automatically gives 1 point for any grower/applicator who tracks their mitigations on paper or in an electronic format. Diligent record keeping is part of the legacy requirements for the use of dicamba anyway (see below).
 

Additionally, the EPA has preserved many of the previous restrictions, listed below³:

• Only certified applicators may use this product, ensuring applications are made by trained professionals who understand the risks.
• Certified applicators must complete annual training specific to OTT dicamba use, keeping users informed of label requirements, best practices, and environmental protection guidelines.
• Several products require loaders, mixers, handlers, and applicators to wear label-approved PPE, directly reducing worker exposure.
• No one may re-enter a treated field within 24 hours of application, protecting workers and the public from exposure.
• An approved DRA must be added to every tank mix, creating larger, heavier droplets that are less likely to drift off-target.
• A substantial physical buffer (240-ft. downwind) must be maintained during applications to protect adjacent areas. This distance may be decreased only if additional label-approved mitigations (hooded sprayers, downwind windbreaks, etc.) are used, ensuring protection is maintained.
• Applications may not be made during a temperature inversion (when atmospheric conditions trap pesticides near the ground and increase drift risk), within 48 hours ahead of forecasted rainfall (which can wash dicamba off-target), if soil is saturated with water, or within one hour after sunrise or after two hours before sunset (when inversions are most likely). These timing restrictions target the specific weather conditions that have historically led to drift problems.
• Applications are prohibited if dicamba-sensitive crops or plants are in downwind areas, preventing direct harm to vulnerable species and neighboring crops.
• Applications must take place when wind speed is between 3-10 mph—strong enough to prevent inversions but not so strong as to cause excessive drift.
• Applications must use coarse or coarser spray droplets, which are heavier and less prone to drift than fine droplets.
• Spray release height must be no higher than 2 feet above the ground or crop canopy, minimizing the distance droplets can drift before reaching their target.
• Aerial application is completely prohibited, eliminating a higher-risk application method.
• Tank mixing with ammonium sulfate-containing products is prohibited because these products can increase volatility.
• Specific records must be kept of every application to ensure consistency with all label requirements and enable enforcement.

Visit this link for a Checklist for Complying With Endangered Species Protection Requirements on Pesticide Labels. More resources related to this topic can be found on the Endangered Species Act page on our website.

¹Bayer (2026) Stryax™ Dicamba Herbicide. 

²BASF (2026) Engenia Herbicide. 

³EPA Press Office (2026) EPA Implements Strongest Protections in Agency History for Over-the-Top Dicamba Use on Cotton and Soybeans for Next Two Growing Seasons.