Missouri Lawmakers to Hold Hearing on Illegal Herbicide

State lawmakers say they'll hold a hearing to talk about damage caused from the illegal spraying of the dicamba herbicide on crops in southeastern Missouri.

Republican state Rep. Don Rone requested that the House Select Committee on Agriculture hold the meeting, citing a recent report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that there've been more than 100 complaints filed with the Department of Agriculture about pesticide drift.

A news release says some farmers planted a soybean variety resistant to dicamba, and a new herbicide meant to be applied to that variety hasn't been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The news release says farmers have been using older illegal dicamba products, which are drifting into neighboring fields and damaging crops.

Committee chairman Rep. Bill Reiboldt said the EPA should testify.

A date for the hearing hasn't been set.