Feature

The University of Arkansas was one of five academic institutions to share nearly $2.7 million in grants to conduct field research and demonstration projects to evaluate and promote 4R Nutrient Stewardship. The concept consists of using the right source of fertilizer, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place. The Fertilizer Institute’s Foundation for Agronomic ... Read More »

• By Bruce Schultz • The Louisiana rice crop is having a challenging year, but good weather in June could result in a decent harvest, according to the LSU AgCenter rice specialist. “Don’t expect a record yield,” Dustin Harrell said at field day held May 27 near Iowa in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. At a field day on May 30 in ... Read More »

• By Emily Woodall • Three Conservation Stewardship Program  sign-ups are now open to rice producers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. The deadline to apply for all three projects is June 28. Eligible counties and parishes are listed below. Through the Mid-South Graduated Water Stewardship signup, producers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri can address water quality, water ... Read More »

Benson Hill Biosystems and RiceTec have inked a licensing agreement that will allow RiceTec to use Benson Hill’s proprietary gene editing technologies to develop new rice hybrids. The announcement was made prior to the kick off of the Plant and Animal Genome Conference in Shenzhen, China. “Exploring the integration of Benson Hill’s precision tools and collaborative approach to empowering innovation ... Read More »

• By Jarrod Hardke • Rice drills continue to roll up and down eastern Arkansas. I think most are very aware we’ve been on the slowest planting pace in 25 years to get us here focusing on late May to early June planted rice. While most have already made their decision, and the weather may finish off planting in the ... Read More »

While farmers in southeastern Arkansas prepare for the rising Arkansas River, some of their colleagues are coping with the opposite problem: dry fields. As of Friday’s (May 31) forecast, the river at Pendleton in Desha County was expected to reach 36 feet on June 6-7, well above the record of 34.1 feet. “You know, what’s weird is we have all ... Read More »

The University of Arkansas’s MP-144, also known as “Insecticide Recommendations for Arkansas,” has gone mobile. Producers, agricultural agents and consultants will now have access to a comprehensive database of insecticide information at their fingertips, with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s launch of a mobile-device-friendly version of the insecticide manual. Glenn Studebaker, Extension entomologist for the Division of ... Read More »

Rice producers who want to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to apply for a special Conservation Stewardship Program. Led by the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership, the Gulf Coast Water and Wetlands Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and the Lower Colorado River Authority, the special stewardship program offers an opportunity to enhance conservation on rice lands in 12 Texas ... Read More »

The 45th annual Eagle Lake Rice Field Day is scheduled for 4 p.m., June 25, at the David R. Wintermann Rice Research Station on Farm-to-Market Road 102 just north of Eagle Lake. The field day will offer an opportunity for producers to tour the research station, making stops along the way to hear about insect management, weed management, plant nutrient ... Read More »

• By Mark Shirley • The cool weather we had in March and April delayed the growth of young rice and thus has delayed crawfish stocking. Some fields won’t be ready to stock until the middle of June. Survival of the brood stock is critical in order to populate the pond with crawfish in the fall. The following are a ... Read More »