Us & Them Encore: Dicamba Woes

There's a nationwide rift among farmers over the use of dicamba, a popular herbicide. A 2024  federal court ruling  has halted dicamba's use, but the Environmental Protection Agency has given the green light for farmers to use existing supplies this year. In this episode of Us & Them, we revisit a story from our archives that delves into the intense battle unfolding in farm country. Originally designed to help soybean farmers combat 'pigweed,' dicamba has proven controversial because it drifts from where it’s sprayed,  causing harm to  desirable plants. The legal fallout has reached a point where farmers and gardeners hesitate to speak out about crop or plant damage due to fear. On the flip side, those advocating for dicamba have taken the matter to court, challenging the authority over pesticide use rules in some  states. In a departure from the typical tight-knit atmosphere of rural farm communities, where issues are often resolved locally,  Arkansas is experiencing an un-neighborly atmosphere, with tensions escalating.