Feature Story

LSU awarded $10 million grant to improve sustainability and profitability of rice farming through research innovations that advance climate-resilient crops. ⋅ BY LORI TYLER GULA ⋅ USDA The project is one of seven recently announced by NIFA and is funded by the...

Finding balance between technology and profit. ⋅ BY CASSIDY NEMEC ⋅ EDITOR Daniel and Dillon Berglund stem from a long line of agriculturalists. This father-son duo has roots in the Wharton and Matagorda counties of the Texas Gulf Coast, and they farm...

⋅ BY MIKE HSU ⋅ UC AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES Due to severe water shortages, rice acres planted in California plummeted by 37% from 2021 to 2022, according to numbers released recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. But...

Scientists at Mississippi State are part of a multi-institutional, $10-million effort to improve the sustainability and profitability of rice farming in the face of climate change. “Because of our interdisciplinary expertise and MSU’s facilities, we are developing genetic mapping tools...

⋅ BY V. TODD MILLER ⋅ Feral hogs are a nuisance in many areas of the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage. They are reported in 35 states with a population of approximately nine million hogs causing billions...

⋅ BY JOHN LOVETT ⋅ Struvite, the same substance that makes up kidney stones and irritates sewage plant operators, could be an effective alternative to using a limited supply of mined phosphate for crop fertilizer. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture,...

Arkansan honored with prestigious rice award. ⋅ BY RYAN McGEENEY ⋅ A national body of rice researchers has awarded the Distinguished Service Award to Bob Scott, senior associate vice president – Extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. In his...

Louisiana governor said farmers have ‘special responsibility’ to protect resources. ⋅ BY OLIVIA McCLURE ⋅ From the fertile soils of its farmlands to waterways that are crucial to commerce, Louisiana’s natural resources are key to the success of agriculture — and...

Omnibus legislation authorizes USDA to make payments to rice farmers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently previewed plans to provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers and what steps they can take to be prepared to sign up when...

Irrigation Yield Contest promotes irrigation water management practices in rice, corn and soybeans. ⋅ BY TRACY COURAGE ⋅ U of A System Division of Agriculture When it comes to the annual Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, less is always more. The annual University of...

California farmers expected to get increased water allocations in 2023. ⋅ BY CHRISTINE SOUZA ⋅ California Farm Bureau Federation Winter storms that bolstered the Sierra Nevada snowpack and added to California reservoirs prompted federal and state water managers to announce increases in...

Initiative promotes greater productivity and sustainability.  ⋅ BY OLIVIA McCLURE ⋅ LSU AgCenter T he Louisiana Master Farmer Program recognized three new graduates, two people who have completed recertification and the winner of the Outstanding Master Farmer Award at a Jan. 12 ceremony. The...

Managing rice diseases with seed treatments and foliar fungicides. ⋅ BY YESHI WAMISHE ⋅ University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture T here are compelling reasons why an integrated approach should be employed to reduce the damage due to diseases in rice or any...

Plan to attend the 71st Annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show.  T he 2023 Mid-South Farm and Gin Show is scheduled for Feb. 24-25, at the Renasant Convention Center, 255 N. Main St. in Memphis, Tennessee. This venue is the former...

Putting the ‘good’ in Goodland Farms. ⋅ BY CASSIDY NEMEC ⋅ Associate Editor H aving grown up in the expansive rice country of Northeast Arkansas, David Caudell never had any intention of moving to Texas. However, after coming down to visit an area...