EPA Reapproves Twice-Banned Pesticide Dicamba

The herbicide has been linked to crop damage and cancer risks, but the agency says it's necessary for farmers.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the use of the herbicide dicamba, despite the chemical being twice banned by federal courts due to concerns over its safety and environmental impacts. The EPA says the approval is necessary to help farmers control resistant weeds, but advocacy groups warn the agency's new restrictions will not be enough to prevent the pesticide's volatile drift and damage.

Why it matters

Dicamba is a highly volatile herbicide that has been shown to cause widespread damage to crops and ecosystems, as well as potential health risks like increased cancer incidence. Previous EPA approvals of dicamba were overturned by federal courts due to the 'enormous and unprecedented damage' the chemical has caused. However, the agency is now bringing it back, citing the needs of farmers facing challenges with resistant weeds.

The details

The EPA's new approval of dicamba includes measures like reducing the maximum application rate, temperature-based application limits, and restricting use to trained professionals. However, advocacy groups argue these restrictions will not be enough to stop the pesticide's volatile drift, which can travel miles from where it is sprayed and damage non-target crops, plants, and ecosystems. Studies have also linked dicamba exposure to increased risks of certain cancers, including liver, bile duct, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

  • The EPA first approved dicamba for use in 2018, but that approval was revoked by a federal court in 2020.
  • The EPA then reapproved dicamba for use in 2020, but that approval was overturned by a federal court in Arizona in 2024.
  • The EPA has now approved dicamba for use again in 2026.

The players

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The federal agency responsible for regulating pesticides and protecting human health and the environment.

Center for Food Safety

An environmental advocacy group that has raised concerns about the EPA's approval of dicamba.

Bill Freese

Science director at the Center for Food Safety, who has criticized the EPA's new restrictions on dicamba as inadequate.

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What they’re saying

“Dicamba is extremely volatile, and often volatilizes from plant surfaces and the ground as much as four days after a spray operation, and then moves long distances to cause devastating 'fencerow to fencerow' damage. The EPA's restrictions cannot do anything to stop such volatile drift.”

— Bill Freese, Science director, Center for Food Safety (Newsweek)

What’s next

The EPA's new approval of dicamba is expected to face further legal challenges from environmental and health advocacy groups concerned about the pesticide's impacts.

The takeaway

The EPA's decision to reapprove dicamba, a highly controversial pesticide that has been twice banned by federal courts, highlights the ongoing tensions between the agency's mandate to protect public health and the environment and the needs of the agricultural industry. The case underscores the importance of robust scientific evidence and rigorous regulatory oversight when it comes to approving potentially harmful chemicals.