Ducks Unlimited Receives Conservation Achievement Award

Ducks Unlimited (DU) Inc. is the recipient of the USA Rice Federation’s Distinguished Conservation Achievement Award, which recognizes the organization’s leadership in and contributions to U.S. wetlands and waterfowl conservation. The award honors those whose exemplary leadership and other major contributions to conservation benefit natural resources and wildlife significantly, with those values and benefits being extended to the local, state and national communities.

“Ducks Unlimited is an outstanding conservation organization with a longstanding commitment to conservation, restoration and management of wetlands,” California rice producer Nicole Montna Van Vleck says. “It is our great honor to recognize these efforts with this award.”

Ducks Unlimited First Vice President George Dunklin and Senior Vice President Paul Bonderson, Jr., accepted the award on behalf of Ducks Unlimited.

“As an Arkansas rice farmer, conservationist and avid duck hunter, it is a great honor for an organization that I have such passionate feelings about to be the recipient of this prestigious award,” Dunklin says. “Nothing makes me prouder than to have my rice industry recognize DU’s tremendous contributions to the world of conservation and wetlands, and I can assure you that Ducks Unlimited considers America’s rice growers to be distinguished conservationists and key partners as well.”

Arkansan Mark Hartz Elected 2012 NAAA President

The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is pleased to announce that Mark Hartz of Almyra, Ark., has been elected President of NAAA for 2012. Hartz is the co-owner of Grand Prairie Dusters Inc., a two-airplane operation that has been in business for 23 years.

Hartz and his business partner, Scott Goetz, operate off of a municipal airport and have the added responsibility of managing the airport. They are primarily a rice operation but also treat wheat, soybeans and corn.

Hartz’s term as president marks his third officer role at the national level. He says he finds it gratifying to see such a large group of people working together for a common cause.

“It’s an education to see exactly what NAAA does and how much time is involved,” Hartz says. “And some of my greatest friends on earth come from my association with the NAAA.”

New Herbicide Offered For Preplant Burndown

Rice growers seeking to get early control of the toughest broadleaf weeds – including glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and marestail – now have the option of using Sharpen herbicide, powered by Kixor herbicide technology, for preplant burndown.

“Sharpen gives growers the opportunity to incorporate another site of action, helping them prevent and manage a broad range of resistant broadleaf weeds,” says Bryan Perry, Kixor Marketing Manager with BASF. “In addition to Palmer amaranth and marestail, Sharpen has been proven effective at controlling morningglory and smartweed.”

Sharpen also provides rice growers with a fast, flexible option for burndown. Sharpen is three to five times faster than 2,4-D ester and glyphosate, and its residual activity can provide a wider, more effective window for postemergence herbicide applications.

Formulation Improves Activity, Broadens Weed Spectrum

Gowan Company, LLC announced full Federal registration for Permit Plus herbicide for sedge and broadleaf weed control in rice. With Federal registration, state registrations will now be applied for in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas beginning March 13, 2012. Growers used Permit Plus on rice in the 2011 season under a 24(c) registration in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The new formulation – Permit Plus – offers improved activity on Permit’s spectrum of weeds. Permit Plus controls four additional broadleaf species that Permit did not control, including groundcherry, eclipta, ducksalad and Texasweed with improved efficacy on certain species of smartweeds.

“With Permit Plus, producers will benefit from a step up in control and consistency of problematic weeds infesting rice fields today,” says Gowan product manager Eric McEwen.

Permit Plus is also registered for use in field corn, sulfonylurea-tolerant (STS) soybeans and fallow applications.

Congressman Presses U.S. Rice With Iraq

Congressman Rick Crawford led members of the House Rice Caucus in calling on Iraq to ease import rules for American rice. Crawford co-founded the Rice Caucus in the United States House of Representatives and took the lead on sending a letter to Iraqi Minister of Trade Khair Alla Babaker asking him to ease import rules for American rice.

“Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Arkansas’s First District,” Crawford says. “As a member of the House Agriculture Committee and co-founder of the Rice Caucus in the House of Representatives, I am working to encourage fair trade practices so our farmers can continue producing the safest, most abundant supply of food in the world.

“Iraq has been one of the largest markets for U.S. rice up until recently. From 2010 to 2011, U.S. rice exports to Iraq have fallen 77 percent,” Crawford says. “In our letter to Iraq’s Minister of Trade, the Rice Caucus is asking for a level playing field so that American rice producers do not have a competitive disadvantage.”

Crawford and other members of the Rice Caucus pointed to Iraq’s requirement of prebagging rice instead of allowing bagging at the destination point as an area where compromise can occur. The letter also asserted the quality standards for chalk content and broken-kernel levels.

“The Rice Caucus will continue efforts to expand trade opportunities with Iraq and other nations,” Crawford says. “I am hopeful that Iraq will ease import rules for American rice.”

Insecticide EUP Trials

Valent U.S.A. Corporation has reported that in a series of Experimental Use Permit (EUP) trials in 2011, a soon-to-be-registered seed protection product – NipsIt INSIDE insecticide – has shown positive results as a long-lasting tool for dry-seeded rice growers to fight early season pests.

In the trials across nearly 150 rice fields in Texas and the Mid-South, more than 90 percent of rice seed treaters reported they were “very satisfied” to “extremely satisfied” with the results they saw from NipsIt INSIDE as a rice seed treatment.