U.S. says farmers can use existing supplies of controversial weed killer

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Monday that farmers can use supplies of an agricultural weed killer they had on hand as of June 3, after a federal court blocked sales and use of the product last week.

The EPA said farmers have until July 31 to use their existing supplies of dicamba-based herbicides sold by Bayer AG and rivals, which are sprayed on genetically engineered soybeans and cotton. The herbicides are known to drift away and damage other crops that are not resistant.