CFBF Endorses LaMalfa For Congress

As a state senator, Doug LaMalfa has remained true to his roots as a fourthgeneration rice producer and stood up to protect California’s farmers and ranchers, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation. Citing LaMalfa’s work to protect private property rights and increase the state’s water supply, CFBF has endorsed LaMalfa in his candidacy for the U.S. Congress.

After serving in both the state Senate and Assembly, LaMalfa, a Republican, seeks election in the 1st Congressional District representing all or part of Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama counties.

“Doug LaMalfa has always recognized the value agriculture brings to the economy and the environment,” California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger says. “As a farmer, he knows the importance of efficiency and running an economically viable business, one that he can pass on to future generations. In these tough economic times and in a contentious political environment, Doug stands up for what he believes in and knows how to get things done.”

Wenger added that LaMalfa’s understanding of important issues facing farmers and ranchers has become invaluable.

“With Doug LaMalfa in Congress, I know that there will be another voice of reason when burdensome environmental regulations or shortsighted views of property rights threaten the ability for family farmers and ranchers to do what they do best,” Wenger says. “Washington, D.C., could use a dose of clear thinking and solid work ethic from this California farmer.”

Facet L Herbicide Liquid Formulation Now Available

BASF Crop Protection has announced that Facet L herbicide, a high-performing liquid formulation of quinclorac, is now available to provide rice growers with an improved tool to fight weeds.

Facet L herbicide provides excellent control of many yield-robbing weeds found in rice, including barnyardgrass, morningglory species, hemp sesbania and crabgrass. It also offers improved post-emergence weed control compared to Facet 75 DF.

Facet L provides excellent handling characteristics, easy mixing and broad tankmix compatibility and has a wide application window – approved for use from preplant up to heading.

“Facet L herbicide is an excellent resistance management tool and can be used with the Clearfield Production System for rice,” says Nocha Van Thielen, BASF Rice Marketing Manager. “This liquid formulation will allow rice growers to have more efficient and consistent control of barnyardgrass and other weeds that plague rice fields.”

Application rates for Facet L herbicide are 21 to 42 oz/A with a maximum of 42 oz/A per season. For more information about Facet L, contact your local BASF technical representative or business representative.

BASF offers an online training module to educate users about proper stewardship practices for growers using the Clearfield Production System for rice. Online training can be found at http://edu.basf.us/clearfield/.

Rice Shipments Increase Eight Percent Over 2009-2010

The USA Rice Daily reported that U.S. rice mills shipped nearly 12 billion pounds of rice to domestic and international markets from August 2010 to July 2011 – an eight percent increase over the 2009-2010 figure, according to the annual USA Rice Federation U.S. Rice Domestic Usage Report, which tracks shipments and consumption of U.S. milled rice.

Additionally, rice imports declined for a third consecutive year, down four percent to 1.3 billion pounds in 2010-2011 compared with 2009-2010. Exports increased two percent while domestic shipments increased by 12 percent.

More highlights from the report include the following:

• Sixty-one percent of total shipments went to the domestic market, and 39 percent were exported.

• Of rice shipments to the U.S. segments, 61 percent went to direct food use, and 39 percent went to food processors. Twentyeight percent of direct food use went to retail grocery, 25 percent went to ethnic distributors, 18 percent to repackers and 17 percent for foodservice.

• Eighty-six percent of the rice consumed in the United States is domestically grown, and 14 percent is imported.

A full copy of the report can be obtained at usarice.com/reports.

Strada Pro Herbicide Offered

Isagro USA announces the launch of Strada Pro herbicide, a new broad spectrum herbicide for superior weed control in rice, including key weeds like yellow nutsedge, hemp sesbania and jointvetch.

Strada Pro offers consistent and economic control of broadleaf weeds and sedges, providing longer lasting control to help eliminate the need for mid-season applications.

Key benefits include:

• Superior and longer lasting control of tough weeds.

• Perfect partner in Clearfield rice.

• Application flexibility – can be used preplant or post flood.

• Excellent crop tolerance.

According to Isagro, Strada Pro is the strongest partner available to control key weeds in a Clearfield rice/Newpath program.

Company Guarantees Soybean Yield Increase

Chemtura AgroSolutions guarantees increased soybean yield when farmers use Dimilin 2L insect growth regulator.

A proven yield enhancement tool, Dimilin helps effectively set more pods and increase seeds in pods when applied during the R3 soybean growth stage. This results in a yield boost and increased profits. Chemtura AgroSolutions guarantees this or will cover the cost of application.

When applied in conjunction with a fungicide, yields are enhanced further by improving the health of the soybean plant. Both products should be applied at the same critical R3 growth stage.

Application timing is key for yield enhancement, according to Keith Griffith, Chemtura AgroSolutions technical sales support representative.

Dimilin also has gained praise from several university researchers and Extension personnel. Researchers have seen yield improvements in nearly 80 percent of their trials.

“We ran three separate trials and consistently had four to six bushels-per-acre yield increases at all three locations,” says Dr. Gus Lorenz, entomologist at the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture. “Dimilin is pretty much a stand-alone product in that situation, and being an IGR, it’s not disruptive on beneficial insects.”

Dimilin is effective on several key pests because it disrupts chitin development. It costs about $4 per acre. Using standard spray equipment, Dimilin can be tankmixed with fungicides as well as most adjuvants, liquid fertilizers and pesticides.

For more information, visit www.ChemturaAgroSolutions.com/us or contact Keith Griffith at keith.griffith@chemtura.com.

LFBF Backs Landowner Cleanup Bill

The state’s largest farm organization is backing a bill in the Louisiana Legislature that would allow both landowners and the oil and gas industry to mediate cleanup issues created by years of drilling on private lands.

Sen. Bret Allain (R-Franklin) introduced substitute language to Senate Bill 731 that would allow farmers and landowners to have their property returned to pre-drilling conditions, while drillers and oil companies would not be held liable for pollution issues they did not have a direct hand in creating.

The so-called “legacy cases,” pollution issues dating back decades as a result of conditions created by multiple drillers, have been tied up in the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Conservation for years. The bill was approved by the Senate Natural Resources Committee and now goes to the full Senate for debate.

“The bill allows them (oil companies) to do an omission of regulatory responsibility, without admitting private damage, provides for public hearings at the department (of Natural Resources) upon their admission and makes the process of the public hearing admissible in a court of law,” Allain says.

Allain, a farmer and landowner, said his family farm has experienced issues over the years involving pollutants left behind by drilling companies, or conditions that, while considered “cleaned up,” didn’t meet some state DEQ standards.

“Many landowners granted these leases in good faith and hoped their land would be returned in the condition it was found,” says Ronnie Anderson, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. “Farmers and other landowners don’t want these issues to end up in court, but unless this bill is passed, these sites could be in ligation for years and the land unproductive.”

Section 18 Approved For Tenchu 20SG In Louisiana

LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Natalie Hummel recently posted that a Section 18 request has been approved by EPA for the use of Tenchu 20SG on up to 100,000 acres of Louisiana rice to control stink bugs. This product will provide an alternative mode of action to the pyrethroids that are currently registered for use in Louisiana.

The exemption expires Oct. 31, 2012. The distributor in Louisiana is Michael Hensgens with G&H in Crowley. According to Hensgens, the suggested retail price is $24.30 per pound, which at one-half pound per acre is $12.15 per acre. The registered rate is from 7.5 to 10.5 ounces of product per acre. A maximum of two applications can be made per acre per season. A seven-day, pre-harvest interval must be observed.

Be aware that this product is toxic to honeybees. Read the Section 18 registration for precautions to avoid bee injury. Contact Hummel for more information at (225) 578- 7386 or nhummel@agcenter.lsu.edu.

LA Extension Awards $34,000 In Special One-Year Grants

Five teams and two individuals have been awarded a total of $33,852 to develop innovative Extension programs over the next year, according to Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.

The funding for these stipends comes from previously awarded grants, which can be used by administration to support programming needs and opportunities. These are not stateappropriated funds, Coreil said.

Dennis Burns and R.L. Frazier, both Extension agents in northeast Louisiana, will use their $5,000 grant to purchase computer equipment as they help farmers in the region keep pace with the advancements in precision agriculture.