When I was a kid, Sunday afternoons were reserved for the family piling in the truck and driving out to the farm in east-central Louisiana to look at the crops. At that time, I had two sisters – Kimberly...

At the age of 15 while I was in high school, I helped my daddy water rice for different farmers in the Benoit area. By the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to do something related to rice....

Dr. M.O. “MO” Way Texas Rice Research Entomologist [email protected] Control 6-legged pests When I discuss topics other than insects, I get a little nervous, but, finally, this month, I get to talk about six-legged critters! For starters, let me emphasize the importance of scouting...

By Dr. Jarrod Hardke University of Arkansas The three main insect pests of rice in Arkansas are grape colaspis (Lespedeza worm), rice water weevil and rice stink bug. Of these, grape colaspis and rice water weevil have traditionally been the most...

I have great memories of riding on the tractor with my daddy late at night. My parents made sure we spent time with both of them regardless of season. This sometimes meant going to meet dad. Christian and I do the same thing. I met him this afternoon to exchange papers, and I left with one less kid that I lost to his infatuation with the “big tractors!” That time is important for these three kids to not only see what we are doing but to be able to spend good interactive time with us. They come to the farm office with me, ride the tractor with dad, help bring lunches to the field and are around when we are harvesting. They do think that dad built them the biggest indoor bike rink since he built his farm shop next to our home!

The contract must be structured to promote convergence. The rice futures contract is not a particularly efficient hedging tool, so four years ago the USA Rice Federation formed the Rice Futures Contract Working Group to study the issue and look...

Josh Cartwright Bear River Supply, Inc. Rio Oso, Calif. My hands-on experience with rice began with a summer job at Bear River Supply – a part of Butte County Rice Growers Association (BUCRA) – while I was attending junior college. Later, I...

  John Oakes Vice President, Rice Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc. The role of Farmers Grain Terminal (FGT) in the U.S. rice industry is unique in that we are a large farmer-owned grain cooperative that also handles rice. FGT is headquartered in Greenville, Miss.,...

Make weed control decisions now By Carroll Smith Editor Strategic herbicide choices and application timing early in the season not only provides better control of target weeds while they are small but also maximizes yield potential and quality when harvest season rolls...

Richard Costello Boeuf Delta Ag Services Northeast Louisiana While in college, I interned with Jack McDaniel, an independent consultant at the time, and enjoyed it even though the hours were long. I also did two internships with a crop protection company on...

Rice Market & Technology Convention goes to Cancun, Mexico! Building on the success of last year’s big event in San Jose, Costa Rica, the 2015 Rice Market & Technology Convention (RMTC 2015) is heading to Mexico, the largest rice-importing country...

For several years, I lived next door to a fascinating elderly gentleman named Mr. Mac. He was a World War II veteran who had served in the Navy, a retired businessman who had worked in the grain industry for...

Dr. M.O. “MO” Way Texas Rice Research Entomologist [email protected] Serious Weed Pests Weeds typically are the most serious and consistent pests of rice production. Failure to control weeds in rice leads to significant and often devastating yield losses. Last year, I observed firsthand the total...

Thought-provoking ideas about the future By Carroll Smith Editor The subtitle reads: “The Importance Of First Grain To World Economic & Political Stability.” Indeed, these words do hint at the theme, but upon settling into this masterfully written, easy-to-read book by Milo...

Be prepared to adjust herbicides and application timings Heavy rainfall interfered with rice planting in 2014, complicating weed control. Protecting rice crops and preventing yield loss required continuous evaluation and adjustments to weed management programs. Johnathon Morris, an Arkansas consultant, felt...