FOOD SECURITY

2,4-D is vital for maintaining food security by helping keep food affordable and accessible and ensuring we are not using more resources than necessary to grow food by controlling weeds that would otherwise steal needed water and nutrients from food crops. 2,4-D is used in over 700 products to protect crops from weeds that would compete for water and nutrients. 2,4-D plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable farming practices, such as no-till agriculture, which minimizes soil disruption, reduces carbon emissions, and helps maintain soil health. By enhancing crop yields, 2,4-D helps make the most efficient use of land, aligning with global environmental initiatives of the United Nations and the USDA.

FOREST PROTECTION AND FIRE MANAGEMENT

2,4-D also protects our forests from harmful invasive plants and keeps our infrastructure, including electric power line rights of way, safe and reliable. It has a key role in managing invasive and toxic plant species that threaten forest ecosystems and biodiversity. In infrastructure management, 2,4-D use ensures roadways, road ditches and rights of way are clear from obstructive vegetation, helping us travel safely and protecting the power grid.

Managing fuel sources along transmission lines is a critical effort in preventing tree branches from initiating fires. The enormous expense of fighting wildfires and rebuilding after they have passed – not to mention the potential for human harm and loss of life – illustrates the importance of maintaining fire breaks and rights of way.

LAWN AND TURF

The use of 2,4-D on turfgrass was one of the first uses of the selective herbicide. 2,4-D is the most commonly used herbicide for turfgrass weed control in the combined industrial/commercial/governmental sector. Parks and playing fields are key to maintaining a high quality of life in urban areas and ensuring limitation of injuries in sports.