Agrotain urease inhibitors qualify for CSP payments
Growers wanting to enroll for the Conservation Stewardship Program should do so now to take advantage of many new stewardship options available for payments as part of the guidelines from USDA-NRCS.

One of the most notable dimensions is the qualification of Agrotain urease inhi-bitors for payments, as part of an approved plan for nitrogen (N) management.

“The program recognizes the potential of Agrotain products to improve N efficiency/ environmental quality,” states Mike Steg-mann, President of Agrotain International. “Best of all, the program can make Agrotain available at virtually no cost to the farmer.”

To qualify, farmers need to work with their local NRCS office using the conservation management calculator to develop and submit a comprehensive stewardship plan that may include a number of actions the grower must take, not just a single one. Once the plan is approved, then farmers can qualify to receive payments. The entire line of AGROTAIN products and SUPERU fertilizer are eligible for CSP.

Percentage of rice acres up in north Louisiana for 2010
More north Louisiana farmers are switching to rice instead of corn, soybeans and cotton. Garrett Marsh of Tallulah grew his first rice crop last year. He also farms corn and soybeans but has eliminated cotton, replacing it with rice. Marsh was satisfied with his first rice crop that yielded 181 to 200 bu/A. He said the soil on his farm is heavy clay, which is more suited for rice.

Most of the rice produced in Louisiana is grown in the southwest part of the state. Traditionally, about 20 percent of the rice crop is grown in northeast Louisiana.

“But that percentage is going up this year,” says Dr. Johnny Saichuk, LSU AgCenter rice specialist.