Growers in the U.S. will be allowed to use Dow’s Enlist Duo herbicide this growing season after a federal appeals court denied the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempt to vacate the herbicide’s registration.
The EPA cited a need to research the product’s ingredients, 2,4-D choline and glyphosate as the reason to reverse the herbicide’s registration.
“Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to glyphosate-based herbicides and are posing a serious problem for farmers,” the EPA said. “This action will provide an additional tool to reduce the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds.”
Other countries including Canada Mexico, Japan, 26 members of the European Union, are already using the Enlist Duo herbicide.
The EPA originally filed the motion in November 2015, and even at that time, Dow was confident Enlist would be registered.
“We believe the questions that have been raised about any potential synergy between 2,4-D choline and glyphosate can be promptly resolved in the next few months, in time for the 2016 crop use season,” Tim Hassinger, Dow AgroSciences President and CEO said in a press release.