LANCE RAMTHUN
CROP SOLUTIONS, LLC
JONESBORO, ARK. (CONSULTS IN CRAIGHEAD, LAWRENCE, POINSETT AND
MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES)
When my dad began consulting in rice in 1980, we moved to Hoxie, Ark., which is a rice and soybean farming community. Rice and the consulting occupation was all I ever knew growing up. While I was at Arkansas State, I interned with a local co-op. After graduation, I worked there for three years as a consultant. In November 2004, I left the co-op and formed Crop Solutions. This will be my 12th season as a consultant and my 9th season as an independent consultant with my own company.
Last year was one of the best yielding and earliest crops I have ever had. We started planting rice on March 23, and by April 10, 80 to 90 percent of my rice was planted. I like to have rice in the ground by April 10 or 15, if possible. That’s where the highest yields come from. The beginning of the season was hectic in 2012. Every early season aspect of rice production, whether it was weed control, flooding, applying nitrogen or making fungicide applications had to be done in a 10-day span.
With the lack of moisture in the air and the lack of cloudy days in June, July and August, it was a light disease year. Instead of treating 35 to 45 percent of my rice for sheath blight, we only treated 10 to 15 percent. This drastic reduction was good because it was an expensive year for other inputs. Diesel and urea prices were high, and because of the drought, farmers had to irrigate more in 2012 than I’ve ever seen.
We took an aggressive approach to weed control last year and will continue our aggressive approach this year. Right now, we need to be focused on burndown to get rid of winter weeds that are out in the field. If the fields are “turfy” at the end of March, it’s hard to plant into that mat of grass, plus it insulates the ground and keeps it cold. We’ll lay down our residual herbicides at planting, then after about two weeks when they begin to break down, we’ll start watching for weather patterns and checking field history so we can apply herbicides, depending on the weed spectrum, before we have a problem on our hands.
Because it was so dry last year, we had to flush a lot more than normal to help with stand establishment. But we learned a lot. For example, don’t flush when it’s in the 50s or below 50 degrees at night. This can result in seedling disease, or if it’s too cold for the seedling to germinate, it will rot. I also recommend to my farmers that any rice that they plant before April 15 needs to have a seed treatment on it.
Over the past month, we’ve been choosing our varieties for each field and getting them ordered so the seed will be on site and ready to go when it’s time to plant. We’re also getting ready for pre-plant fertility programs. I am part owner of Field Concepts, which does grid sampling and prepares variable rate prescriptions that will go out to our retailers. When it dries up, they can start putting out their P and K. As the season is about to begin, I want to tell my farmers to plant as early as possible and don’t give up on rice. Good planning and early planting are key to a successful crop.
Bio
• B.S. in Agricultural Business – Arkansas State University
• Consults in rice, soybeans, corn, wheat and grain sorghum
• Arkansas State CCA Board: Member – 2006-Present, Treasurer – 2008-Present
• Arkansas Agricultural Consultants Association:
Past President, Past Vice President and Current
Scholarship Committee Chair
• Member of Jonesboro First United Methodist Church
• Married to wife, Georgia, for 10 years
• One child: Brooks (2)
• Is an avid runner and enjoys hunting and spending time with his family at the lake
Recap: Good Planning And Early Planting
1. Last year was one of the best yielding and earliest crops I have ever had. We started planting rice on March 23, and by April 10, 80 to 90 percent of my rice was planted.
2. 2012 was a light disease year. Instead of treating 35 to 45 percent of my rice for sheath blight, we only treated 10 to 15 percent.
3. Right now we are focused on burndown to get rid of winter weeds. If the fields are “turfy” at the end of March, it’s hard to plant into that mat of grass, plus it insulates the ground and keeps it cold.
4. We’ll lay down our residual herbicides at planting. When they begin to break down, we’ll watch for weather patterns and check field history so we can apply herbicides, depending on the weed spectrum, before we have a problem on our hands.
5. We’re also getting ready for pre-plant fertility programs. I am part owner of Field Concepts, which does grid sampling and prepares variable rate prescriptions that will go out to our retailers. When it dries up, they can start putting out their P and K.