"CHICAGO - Missouri has issued its first fines over the misuse of a farm chemical in 2016 that went on to be linked in different formulations to widespread U.S. crop damage this year, the state said on Thursday.

Authorities fined eight people a total of $145,125 for improperly spraying the chemical known as dicamba, used to kill weeds, in what Missouri called “the first wave of civil penalties issued to applicators,” according to a statement.

The delay between sprayings last year and the state’s action shows how a long process of investigating many complaints about dicamba use is straining resources in farm states."

Tom Polansek reports for Reuters December 14, 2017. [2]