When Will Over-the-Top Dicamba Be Available Again for Soybean Growers?

The future of over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products in soybeans remains unclear for 2025.  Labels for OTT dicamba products (Xtendimax, Engenia, and Tavium) were vacated for the second time by an Arizona federal court in February of 2024. An existing stock order was put in place, which allowed limited use in 2024. 

“As of right now, there are no labels approved for use of OTT dicamba on dicamba-resistant soybeans for 2025,” said Tommy Butts, weed scientist at Purdue University. “There is no label pre or post. They no longer exist as an option.”

New labels were submitted to the EPA by Bayer, Syngenta, and BASF in 2024, but they include substantial changes. “If EPA approves them, XtendiMax would be a preemergence only application and Engenia and Tavium would have a V2 cutoff,” Butts said. 

One twist is that labels were submitted under the R170 registration for food use, which carries a mandatory review of 17 months. In addition, a compliance review for the Endangered Species Act will add additional time. “The latest estimates are that the review can take up to 28 total months for the EPA to have a decision on these labels,” Butts said. “I would not plan on having dicamba labeled for over-the-top use in 2025. It’s also not looking good for 2026.”

What Are Weed Management Options in XtendFlex Soybean?

Cotton and soybean farmers still have postemergence weed control options for 2025, even with the absence of OTT dicamba. 

Glufosinate and glyphosate still offer options for postemergence application in soybeans and cotton with the XtendFlex trait, Butts explained, while glyphosate, glufosinate, and 2,4-D are available for those crops with the Enlist trait.

“Timeliness and a strong residual program up front will be key,” Butts said. “You have to come in early with your postemergence and overlap residuals before anything is up.”

Dicamba products for corn are still available and are not affected by the court ruling. While these products do have some utility as a preplant burndown option in soybeans, all label restrictions apply, including 1 inch of rainfall, and a 14–28-day waiting period (depending on dicamba rate applied) prior to planting soybeans, Butts noted. These products are NOT labeled over-the-top for soybeans.