News in brief

Dicamba gets EPA's 'restricted use' label

The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Friday put further restrictions on the use of the dicamba herbicide next year, although its use in Arkansas is still directed by state regulators.

The EPA put a "restricted use" label on the latest dicamba formulations made by Monsanto, DuPont and BASF on Monsanto's dicamba-tolerant soybeans. That means only certified applicators may spray the herbicide, which has been linked to damage to millions of acres of soybeans, fruits and vegetables and other vegetation not dicamba-tolerant.

The EPA also banned nighttime spraying and spraying if winds are more than 10 miles per hour, down from the previous limit of 15 mph.

Weed scientists in Arkansas and other states have said all summer that such restrictions will have no impact on what they claim is dicamba's main problem -- its propensity to lift from treated crops and move as a vapor to susceptible crops and vegetation miles away.

The herbicide-makers say errors by applicators caused crop damage.

While the EPA sets national label directions for such pesticides, states may restrict or ban use. The state Plant Board has recommended a ban on in-crop use of dicamba from April 16 through Oct. 31 next year.

-- Stephen Steed

Treat chicken flocks better, Nestle orders

Nestle USA said Thursday that it wants its suppliers to adopt stricter welfare standards for broiler chickens by 2024.

Among the requirements, Nestle wants its chickens to have more barn space to roam; improved litter; and access to sunlight. Nestle also wants its chickens to grow slower than other breeds.

Nestle, the world's largest food and beverage company, said it wants all its broiler chickens to come from sources that meet standards that equal or surpass those espoused by the Global Animal Partnership.

"We have already pledged that by 2020 all of the eggs we source as ingredients for our products in the U.S. will come from cage-free hens," said Paul Grimwood, chairman and chief executive officer of Nestle USA, in a statement.

-- Nathan Owens

State index off 2.26 as 11 stocks decline

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state fell 2.26 to 370.65 Friday.

Seven stocks advanced. Eleven stocks declined.

Dillard's shares rose 2 percent. ArcBest Corp. shares fell 4.3 percent.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 10/14/2017

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