Dr. Jarrod T. Hardke Arkansas Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service [email protected] Strange is the New Normal Arkansas rice farming in 2014 was a lot like a line heard often about playing cards: it wasn't necessarily a matter of holding good cards,...

In the case where the rice customer is the beholder, then as the old Ford slogan once proclaimed – "Quality is Job One." An emphasis must be placed on quality by every segment of the marketing chain. The world market is not static, and dramatic changes are affecting markets at our doorstep. The best example is our top market – Mexico. The U.S. share of the Mexican market was 99 percent as late as 2010, but we have fallen to just 78 percent in the first nine months of 2014. Thankfully, the U.S. industry is addressing the problem to find and implement solutions. We've taken a long-term approach, establishing a protocol to evaluate potential new U.S. rice varieties, looking at parameters such as bran streaks, chalk, kernel color, uniformity of length and overall appearance. The parameters are graded by mills on a number scale that will prevent substandard varieties from making it to market. While the program is voluntary, I would encourage all plant breeders developing new rice varieties to participate in the protocol for maximum impact. And, of course, we're putting great emphasis on rice research to provide growers with high yield varieties that meet the quality demands of the customers.

Years ago, when I became editor of Rice Farming magazine, I knew I had a lot to learn in order to do a good job of communicating the mission of "profitable production strategies" to our readership. The best way...

While there is always a chance of a few surprises, it appears that 2014 was a good production year with aboveaverage yields and good to very good quality being reported. Now the focus will be on finding enough demand for rice supplies that are estimated at nearly 10 percent higher than the previous year. Based on USDA's October 2014 supply and demand estimates, demand is expected to increase by seven percent for the 2014/15 marketing year. While positive, this increase isn't expected to be enough to keep ending stocks from experiencing a sharp increase – nearly nine million hundredweights (cwts), a 27 percent increase from last year and five percent above the five-year average. While domestic rice usage and total rice exports are expected to increase during the 2014/15 marketing year, the slow start to export sales has placed a cloud over the market. The reported good quality of the 2014 crop and the current lower prices should help continue to support domestic demand. The struggle with demand has been in the export market. To this point, total rice exports are down 13 percent from a year ago. With exports for the 2014/15 marketing year expected to be up by 10 percent, this market will need to see a significant improvement in export business moving forward to meet those expectations. And while it is still very early in the marketing year, the slow start is concerning. This is especially true for longgrain milled rice exports, which are currently running 27 percent behind last year's pace. Without some improvement in export business, there seems little to entice mills from moving from current price levels.

I’ve never been much of a cook, but I am a creative, which means when you get in a situation for which you have no explanation, you just make something up. Let’s consider Halloween 2014. While trying to answer...

Please Comment On Proposed WOTUS Rule By October 20! Arkansas congressman Rick Crawford recently noted that EPA’s new proposed rule under the Clean Water Act titled “Waters of the U.S.,” or WOTUS, is definitely cause for concern among rice farmers. And...

After talking with a rice farmer a few days ago, he reminded me of the important part that “the other half of the team” plays in successfully running a farming operation. In his particular case, a rice farming operation....

2014 indicates supply/demand equilibrium for Mercosur rice sector. Definitely, the rice business in the Mercosur countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are no longer what they used to be up to five years ago. Up to that time, we...

America's rice farms are a good bet for conservation Last year, the USA Rice Federation and Ducks Unlimited (DU) formed a groundbreaking stewardship partnership to promote the conservation and enhancement of working rice lands and waterfowl habitat. One of the hallmark...

Dr. John Saichuck Louisiana Extension Rice Specialst [email protected] In 2012, we dealt with the worst episode of blast in rice that many of us have seen in our careers. The researchers took advantage of it to eliminate many of the susceptible lines in...

2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest Ingenious with ingredients? The 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest is your chance to show off your culinary cunning. "Sweet or savory, sticky or fragrant, rice is the perfect canvas to showcase your kitchen...

According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, "The Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project (GPADP) is a comprehensive water management plan designed to protect and preserve the Alluvial and Sparta Aquifers. This project also allows the continued irrigation of current agricultural crops and reduces further depletion of ground water aquifers, while continuing to provide critical benefits for the millions of waterfowl, which annually migrate through the region. The reservoir for this farm will provide about eight inches of water for the producer. The other foot of water that he will need will come from the pump station. "For all practical purposes, the farmer is using his existing irrigation system," Carman says. "We are adding to the normal availability of the water. We do not put any water into natural ditches. The water from the pump station will come directly into the farmer's tailwater recovery system." The other foot of water that he will need will come from the pump station. “For all practical purposes, the farmer is using his existing irrigation system,” Carman says. “We are adding to the normal availability of the water. We do not put any water into natural ditches. The water from the pump station will come directly into the farmer’s tailwater recovery system.”

Warren G. Bennis says, "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality" and describes a leader as having a "long-range perspective." Bennis is known as an American scholar, organizational consultant, an author and an expert in the field of...

Mississippi Delta growers keep rice in the mix After graduating from Mississippi State University (MSU), Chico and Pete Williams returned to the family farming operation near Hollandale, Miss. Their grandfather, Leo Williams established the farm in the early 1940s and...

By Paul Squires Squires Ag Consulting, Inc. Yuba City, CA I worked on several rice farms while in college and as a field scout for John Taylor Fertilizers. During my last year of college, I acquired my PCA license and started to...