Growing up across three east Arkansas counties, St. Francis, Monroe, and Arkansas, significantly shaped who I am. As a little girl, I watched my father have a deep appreciation of the outdoors, and anything that involved rice farming. Our father-daughter dates included spray rig rides, checking rice water, and hunting adventures. As I grew up along with the crops, I continued to be blessed by people with a connection to agriculture. However, I didn’t understand the significance of it all; to be frank, I thought the world had so much more to offer other than playing in the dirt.
“Never say never…”
As a freshman walking across campus, I had the mindset like many others around me; “I’ll never go back”. Well, you know how the saying goes… I found myself wondering down the halls of the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Department one day in Fayetteville. It finally hit me; I was homesick. Soon enough, my major changed to crop science, and my world seemed to make a little more sense. A great foundation was building after spending a summer working with the Rice Agronomy Program led by Dr. Jarrod Hardke.
“What do you mean, no rice project?”
I found myself in a major dilemma of picking between two similar graduate programs, and two professors I had the highest respect for. A decision was made; I met with my advising professor to discuss research projects; not knowing that a rice one wouldn’t be on the table. My heart racing, with a million things running through my head, I repeated, “So, rice isn’t an option,” to which he replied, “this way you can be well-rounded.” The Lord knew I couldn’t make that decision for myself. I’m forever indebted to Dr. Trenton Roberts for that push. I began studying the Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Pre-Tassel Applications in Corn.
The Soil Fertility Program greatly prepared me for when I stepped on as a new member to the Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program (ACVIP). My duties started with the variety testing sector, covering four crops: grain sorghum, corn, soybean, and wheat. Looking back, of course, the Holy Spirit knew I’d need to be “well-rounded” as my thesis advisor put it. The confidence and strength I gained within this program was second to none. I felt blessed to be able to live in my college town, work a job I enjoyed, and get to visit my east Arkansas family frequently due to work travel. At this point, I’d pretty much let the door be closed on work in the rice industry.
“Wandering far don’t mean you’re lost.”
The ACVIP began assisting with some roles in the Foundation Seed Program while preparing for the retirement of that program director. My director came to me to see if I had any interest in taking on new duties; it was one of the easiest “yes”s I could give. The team granted me permission to spend the 2023 summer in Stuttgart while continuing variety testing duties and walking foundation rice fields. The more time I spent wandering up and down rogueing lanes, the less lost I felt.
With many prayers and lots of “just be still” whispers, the opportunity presented itself for me to step into a new role as a “Field Specialist in Agronomy,” located in the Bootheel of Missouri, where the other half of my heart was located, too. I was already frequenting the area because my now husband was the state Extension rice specialist. To prepare for the interview, I brainstormed program ideas that would benefit the growers in southeast Missouri region. I recalled a conversation about the Arkansas Verification Programs, which are designed to verify university agronomic recommendations on enrolled fields to ensure growers are obtaining optimal yields and maintaining crop profitability.
The first year of the Missouri Rice Verification Program had three fields enrolled within the Stoddard and Mississippi counties. Turns out the door didn’t close after all. The summer weeks allow me to call my dad to give updates on how the rice looks. A lot of mine and Justin’s dinner conversations revolve around rice farming. It would require an entire book to thank all the people who’ve shaped me into the person I am today, but know I’m eternally grateful for them all.
In January 2025, I began a new chapter in the rice industry with Horizon Ag, LLC as a district field representative covering Northeast Arkansas and Missouri. I’m looking forward to growing in my career and looking for areas to better serve the industry.
— Robyn Chlapecka,
Northeast Arkansas/Missouri