Monsanto asks Arkansas judge to halt state's herbicide ban

Little Rock - A major agribusiness company is asking a judge in the American state of Arkansas judge to halt the state's plan to ban a herbicide that's drawn complaints from farmers across several states who say the weed killer has drifted onto their crops and caused widespread damage.

Monsanto asked a Pulaski County judge to strike down the dicamba ban approved earlier this month by the state Plant Board. The board voted to prohibit the use of the weed killer in the state from April 16 to October 31, and the ban is expected to go before lawmakers next month.

The company added the request to a lawsuit it filed last month challenging a previous ban of its dicamba products. The Plant Board says it has received nearly 1 000 complaints about dicamba this year.