As herbicide supplies tighten, Pioneer emphasizes Enlist’s U.S. roots

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — While some agricultural herbicides may be looking at tight supplies, one U.S.-based herbicide brand is confident of plentiful supplies.

“Growers know from this last year that there were some herbicides that it was very challenging to get their hands on and there are rumblings that could be the case for the 2022 season,” said Carl Joern, Pioneer agronomist in Indiana.

Joern said one factor in particular has been to Pioneer’s advantage in the supply chain disruptions that have plagued other herbicide brands.

“One thing we are very proud of at Pioneer and at Corteva is being a U.S.-based, American-owned company. Enlist is 100% formulated and manufactured in the United States. We don’t have to worry about getting our active ingredients on a boat from China or that’s sitting in port, 40 ships deep, waiting to get unloaded,” Joern said.

Enlist is a 2,4-D choline herbicide from Pioneer.

“We will have the herbicide available. As growers are making those decisions, just know that we will have a good supply and availability of Enlist for the 2022 growing season,” Joern said.

Emily Huber, a Pioneer agronomist from central and west-central Illinois, said she also has talked to growers who are concerned about potential tight supplies of herbicides like glyphosate and glufosinate going into the 2022 growing season.

“Enlist itself is a U.S. manufactured product, so we are expecting to have a really good supply of it because we are able to make it here,” she said.

Huber said the tank mix options offered with Enlist allow growers some options.

“As we look at those tank mix options and being able to mix it with glyphosate or with glufosinate to target some of those tough weeds, it provides more options for customers, considering the supply shortages we could be facing,” she said.