The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will offer producers several opportunities to complete their Auxin-Specific Certification Training for the 2022 growing season, both in person and virtually.
Dicamba drift on non-XtendFlex cotton. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Peter Dotray)
The first of five trainings will be on Jan. 21, and the remaining trainings will be on Feb. 14, March 10, April 8 and May 13.
Each one-hour training will have a fee of $10 and start at 9 a.m. The in-person trainings will be at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center for Lubbock, 1102 Drew St. The online versions will be via Zoom.
To participate in one of these trainings, attendees must preregister at least one day before the session and select whether they will be attending in person or online. Those attending online will receive further instructions.
This is an annual training and certifies attendees to use approved auxin formulations for the 2022 growing season, said Pete Dotray, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research weed scientist, Lubbock. One Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education unit will be provided in the laws and regulations category.
Dicamba’s restricted use
In 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, renewed three dicamba herbicide labels, Engenia, Tavium and XtendiMax, and updated the application requirements. These dicamba products continue to be labeled as Restricted-Use Pesticides in addition to being State Limited-Use and require auxinspecific applicator training annually prior to use by certified applicators only.
In addition, 2,4-D choline formulations — Enlist Duo and Enlist One — for use on 2,4-D-tolerant crops also continue to be included in these mandatory annual auxin trainings. These 2,4-D herbicides are labeled as State Limited-Use pesticides and can be sold to and used only by certified applicators or those working under the supervision of a certified applicator.
All these trainings will satisfy both the EPA requirement for mandatory dicamba training as well as the Texas Department of Agriculture requirement for approved dicamba and 2,4-D formulations.