Rice, a global grain consumed by more than half the world’s population, totes unique versatility unlike other grains throughout history. Each country and culture has made the grain its own as center of the plate, a side and even as an ingredient in desserts. It is no surprise that rice reserves a special spot as a staple celebrated first during ... Read More »

Through the Ingrain Good initiative, Riceland Foods and its farmer members aim to reduce water use in rice production by 250 billion gallons by 2025 in Arkansas and Missouri. The co-op and its members plan to do this through the promotion, adoption and implementation of efficient irrigation tools and techniques, according to a news release. Water-use efficiency has been a ... Read More »

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order that would ban the sale of new gas-powered passenger cars and light duty trucks by 2035. Any new sales after the deadline would have to be 100% zero-emission vehicles. In the same order, Newsom called for medium- and heavy-duty trucks to be 100% zero-emission by 2045, where feasible. He also set ... Read More »

• By Daniel Stephenson and Josh Copes • Glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass has been an issue in the mid-South for the past 10 to 15 years. In Louisiana, growers have been battling this pest for five to 10 years, and the problem is spreading each year. Louisiana does not have ryegrass issues like Mississippi, but if control strategies are not implemented, ... Read More »

• By Bruce Schultz • Hurricane Laura caused $525.4 million in damage to Louisiana farmers and $1.1 billion to the Louisiana timber industry, according to preliminary estimates by the Louisiana State University AgCenter. Laura devastated 757,538 acres of timber from the southwest to northeast parts of the state, according to a report by AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry and AgCenter forestry ... Read More »

• By Vicky Boyd, Editor • If construction goes according to schedule, the University of Arkansas System’ Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center near Harrisburg will begin hosting rice field trials and experiments in 2021. This season, soil over much of the 600-acre facility was moved to level and grade fields. This facilitated installation of new drainage and irrigation systems. ... Read More »

• By Vicky Boyd, Editor • RiceTec is expanding its portfolio to include inbred rice lines – commonly called varieties — but the Alvin, Texas-based company plans to continue focusing on its core offerings of rice hybrids. The first varieties could be on the market as early as 2022, depending on how they perform in university and company field trials. ... Read More »

Valent U.S.A. has launched the Zeltera Rice System, a seed treatment package that offers both above- and below-ground protection for rice seeds in the South and Mid-South production regions. A key to the program is the new Indiflin branded fungicide, which contains the active ingredient, inpyrfluxam. Recently registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, inpyrfluxam targets Rhizoctonia solani, including strobilurin-resistant strains. ... Read More »

Mike Wood uses technology on his Cross County soybean and rice farm in Cherry Valley, Arkansas, to protect and improve water quality and help reduce water use. Computerized irrigation management, the use of soil moisture sensors and surge valve irrigation are just a few of the tools in use as part of his participation in the Arkansas Discovery Farms program. ... Read More »

• By Steve Linscombe, Josh Hankins and Emily Woodall • It’s been a week since Hurricane Laura made landfall in the rice country of southwest Louisiana, carving a path of destruction with winds and rain that then moved on through neighboring states to the north. Effects on the 2020 rice crop are still being assessed to determine the extent of ... Read More »