Key Takeaways

• Three dicamba products are approved for 2026 OTT use — Engenia®, Tavium®, and Stryax™ — and must be registered for use in Nebraska.

• Temperature restrictions now limit applications. No spraying if forecast highs reach 95°F or higher; if 85°F–94°F, only 50% of acres can be treated before a required delay.

• Both a VRA and DRA are required with every application, and ammonium sulfate (AMS) is prohibited.

• Dicamba labels are legally enforceable. Violations can result in fines, penalties, and liability for off-target damage.

• Nebraska requirements include applicator licensing, annual training, and checking EPA Bulletins Live! Two prior to application.

• Buffers, mitigation requirements, and stewardship practices remain essential to reduce off-target movement and protect neighboring crops.

Introduction                                                                                                     

As Nebraska producers prepare for the 2026 growing season, understanding and following the updated over-the-top (OTT) dicamba application requirements for dicamba-tolerant soybeans is essential for both regulatory compliance and ensuring safe, responsible pesticide applications. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) time-limited registrations for Engenia® (BASF), Tavium® Plus VaporGrip® Technology (Syngenta), and Stryax™ (Bayer) include strengthened safeguards such as temperature-based cutoffs, acreage limitations during elevated forecast conditions, mandatory volatility- and drift-reduction measures, runoff and erosion mitigation requirements, and annual applicator training. 

Pesticide labels are legally enforceable documents under federal and state law; applicators are required to follow the label directions precisely. Failure to comply with label requirements — including but not limited to application timing, buffer distances, tank-mix restrictions, recordkeeping, and training mandates — can result in regulatory enforcement actions, civil penalties, fines, and potential civil liability in the event of off-target dicamba injury. Repeated or serious violations may also jeopardize future access to dicamba technologies and/or other restricted-use products.

Beyond regulatory compliance, adherence to label requirements is critical to minimizing off-target dicamba movement and protecting neighboring sensitive broadleaf crops, specialty production systems, residential areas, and environmentally sensitive sites. Dicamba stewardship is particularly important in diverse agricultural landscapes where soybean, specialty crops, orchards, vineyards, and non-dicamba-tolerant soybean varieties may be in proximity. Following best management practices — including but not limited to monitoring wind speed and direction, avoiding temperature inversions, using recommended nozzles and adjuvants, and observing required buffers — helps reduce the potential for off-target movement (volatility, physical drift, and tank contamination). Responsible application practices protect crop yield, prevent costly disputes, and maintain positive working relationships among producers, landowners, and rural communities.

Nebraska applicators should also verify the current state registration status of dicamba products each season and review any additional guidance, restrictions or cutoff dates issued by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). State-specific requirements may differ from federal labeling and can change in response to regulatory updates or court decisions. Checking NDA resources before purchase and application ensures compliance with both federal and state regulations.

The information provided in this document is intended to assist applicators in navigating updated label requirements and stewardship expectations for the 2026 growing season and future production seasons (current labeling expires on Feb. 6, 2028). By staying informed, thoroughly documenting applications, and implementing per-label-approved management practices, Nebraska producers can remain compliant while preserving the long-term effectiveness of dicamba products in dicamba-tolerant soybeans. 

Key Information

• The federally approved OTT products for application to dicamba tolerant Xtend® and XtendFlex® soybeans in 2026 are Engenia®, Tavium® Plus VaporGrip® Technology, and Stryax™.
• Temperature restrictions are based on NOAA/NWS forecast for the day of application and the day after: no application is allowed if forecast high is 95°F or higher; if the forecast is for 85°F to 94°F, application is limited to 50% of the grower’s dicamba-tolerant soybean acres in a county, and they must then wait until the third day after initial treatment to treat the remaining acres.
• The addition of a volatility reduction agent (VRA) is mandatory. Currently, labeled VRAs are applied at 40 oz/acre, but applicators must verify the approved product and rate on the registrant’s current “qualified VRA” list (Engenia, Tavium, Stryax), as these requirements may change.
• The addition of a drift reduction agent (DRA) is mandatory with every application. When a specific adjuvant product, such as an oil emulsion DRA at 0.3% v v^-1, is to be used with this product, all manufacturers recommend using adjuvants certified by the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA). Therefore, applicators must carefully review their specific product labels to verify the approved DRA product and rate before the application occurs.
• As in previous labels, ammonium sulfate (AMS) or any products that contain AMS may not be mixed with any OTT dicamba product. The addition of AMS may increase dicamba volatility regardless of the salt formulation applied.
• Additional requirements are listed below in Table 1.

Practical Checklist for Nebraska Applicators (Quick Reference)

• Confirm the product (Engenia®, Tavium®, or Stryax®) is registered for use in Nebraska and you have the current label and any supplemental/state-specific labeling.
• Confirm your Nebraska RUP certification/licensing is current, and you have completed the required annual dicamba-specific training.
• Within six months prior to application, check EPA Bulletins Live! Two for your field location, product EPA Reg. No., and month; print/save the bulletin.
• Plan around temperature restrictions using NOAA/NWS forecasts for the day of and day after application.
• Use a qualified VRA at the labeled rate and include the required DRA; keep receipts and application records per label/state requirements. Additional specific record-keeping requirements are listed on product labels in Section 7.4 of the respective labels (Section 7.4.3 for Tavium®).
• Meet runoff/erosion mitigation points (minimum 3 points and 6 points in Pesticide Use Limitation Area [PULA]).

Spray Drift Buffer Requirements for OTT Dicamba Applications

• Sensitive Areas (Section 9 of product labels)
  • Do not apply if sensitive plants (dicamba-sensitive plants listed in Section 9 but not limited to) are present in the adjacent downwind area. All labels require checking a sensitive crop/specialty crop registry at FieldWatch, as well as surveying all adjacent fields and areas for any sensitive plants/areas and residential areas prior to application.
  • Stop the application immediately if wind direction shifts toward sensitive plants or residential areas.
• Standard Downwind Buffer
  • After determining no adjacent sensitive plants are downwind, the certified applicator must maintain a 240-ft downwind buffer between the last treated row and the nearest downwind field edge unless applying a qualifying practice listed in the table in Section 9.2 of product labels. Reduction percentages from multiple practices are additive.
  • A downwind buffer is not required if:
    • The combined mitigation practices provide ≥100% reduction, or
    • The calculated buffer is less than 10 ft after rounding to the nearest 5-ft increment.

If no people are present and the product label does not require a more restrictive setback, certain adjacent areas may count as part of the downwind buffer, including untreated portions of the field; roads, mowed areas, or bare ground adjacent to the field; windbreaks or hedgerows; on-farm irrigation canals, ditches, or ponds not connected to other water bodies; and conservation areas such as filter strips, field borders, or grassed waterways. Certified applicators must consult the product label for full buffer requirements and definitions.

While understanding and following dicamba regulations is essential, growers should also consider the broader importance of herbicide resistance management. Repeated reliance on a single herbicide or trait system can increase selection pressure on weed populations, allowing resistant biotypes to develop and spread. Rotating herbicide sites of action, using effective tank mixtures and residual products, and integrating cultural or mechanical control practices can help slow the development of resistance. 

By incorporating these strategies, Nebraska growers can help preserve the effectiveness of current herbicide technologies and maintain sustainable weed management programs in their fields. 

For more information on herbicide-resistant weed management, see this CropWatch article. 

References

• EPA press release (Feb. 6, 2026): EPA implements protections for OTT dicamba: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-implements-strongest-protections-agency-history-over-top-dicamba-use-cotton-and 
• EPA PPLS label – Engenia (accepted Feb. 6, 2026): https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/007969-00507-20260206.pdf 
• EPA PPLS label – Tavium plus Vaporgrip (accepted 02/06/2026): https://www.syngenta-us.com/current-label/tavium
• EPA PPLS label – Stryax (accepted Feb. 6, 2026): https://www.stryaxapplicationrequirements.com/pdf/stryax_label.pdf
• NDA: Dicamba and Enlist Information: https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/dicamba 
• NDA: Pesticide Applicator Certification and Licensing: https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/cert 
• NDA: Endangered Species Protection (Bulletins Live! Two guidance): https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/endangered 
• FieldTips Nebraska: Training and Certification (dicamba training note): https://fieldtipsne.com/training-certification/
• Kumar V, Singh M, Kaur R, Jhala AJ (2025) Herbicide-resistant weeds: Understanding the challenge and path forward. Crop Watch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/herbicide-resistant-weeds-understanding-challenge-and-path-forward/