There’s no denying farmers need options to combat the growing number of herbicide-resistant weeds. But farmers also need answers to the growing number of dicamba-suspected damage reports cropping up in the state.

As such, the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) will convene a task force to examine the data and science behind the reports and to work with industry and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to help get answers for the many growing questions regarding dicamba.

“MSGA works closely with industry in Minnesota and across the nation,” says MSGA President Michael Petefish. “We feel we are in a unique position to be proactive and lead the way in finding sensible answers for our farmers and for industry. Dicamba is a valuable tool for farmers and a technology MSGA will work to protect.”

Petefish says MSGA will work closely with MDA and will involve researchers from the University of Minnesota as well as industry partners. He says MSGA’s board acknowledges people want answers and want to lay blame, but he says those conversations are premature, and the data needs to be examined to get a fuller understanding of the situation and come up with appropriate solutions.

MSGA is a non-profit, farmer-controlled membership organization established in 1962. Its goal is to assure profitable soybean farming by influencing favorable ag legislation, monitoring government policies and supporting research and market development activities.

Click here to hear Petefish’s interview on the newly formed task force.