By Mary Hightower
The executive subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council on Wednesday deferred a decision on the proposed ban on the sale and use of dicamba until Friday.
The panel is the next-to-last step in the emergency rule making process in Arkansas. At issue is a two-part rule put forward by the Arkansas State Plant Board that would ban sale and use of dicamba in Arkansas and implement a matrix that would increase penalties for infractions up to $25,000. The proposed ban would not apply to forage and pasture operations.
On Wednesday, the Arkansas State Plant Board told the subcommittee it had received 551 complaints related to dicamba use. (See: http://www.aad.arkansas.gov/arkansas-dicamba-information-updates)
Last Friday, Gov. Hutchinson reviewed and sent the proposed emergency rule to the subcommittee. If the subcommittee approves, the rules goes into effect for 120 days upon being filed with the Arkansas secretary of state’s office.
The subcommittee on Wednesday unanimously approved Speaker Jeremy Gillam’s motion to recess until members of the Joint Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development Committee could meet Friday at 9 a.m. to hear testimony on both sides, and then make a recommendation to the executive subcommittee, which meets at 1 p.m.
Until a decision is made, current regulations stand.