⋅ BY MARY HIGHTOWER ⋅ U of A SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE A ban on white non-basmati rice exports by India could bolster prices for American rice farmers, said Alvaro Durand-Morat, associate professor and agricultural economist for the University of Arkansas...

⋅ BY STEVE LINSCOMBE ⋅ It’s been a busy week for the rice industry in Louisiana and Texas, with field days and meetings wrapping up just in time for growers to get back in the field. In Louisiana, that means harvesting...

⋅ BY DEBORAH WILLENBORG ⋅ The Rice Leadership Development Program gives future leaders a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communication skills. The class attends four one-week sessions over a two-year period that encompasses studies...

⋅ BY DEBORAH WILLENBORG ⋅ Despite triple digit temperatures at points, well-hydrated rice farmers, researchers, wildlife specialists, and USA Rice staff gathered June 28 in Crowley and Kaplan, Louisiana, to hear firsthand from scientists about the important work being done...

⋅ BY MARY HIGHTOWER ⋅ U of A SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE Underserved farmers who suffered pandemic-related losses have until July 14 to apply for funds from the Pandemic Assistance Relief Program, or PARP. PARP was created to expand the existing pandemic...

⋅ BY MARY HIGHTOWER ⋅ U of A SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE When it comes to diagnosing problems in rice, farmers have a lot to choose from including disease, drought, flood, insects, soil health and weeds. However, Jarrod Hardke, extension rice...

As anyone in South Louisiana knows, rice is a major part of one’s diet. It is the most widely consumed staple food for more than half of the world’s population, which continues to grow each year. With the production...

⋅ BY DR. JOHN GOLDBERG ⋅ The Supreme Court of the United States issued its long-awaited opinion in the case Sackett v. EPA, ruling in favor of the Sacketts – a significant victory for the agriculture and broader business industries. All...

Rice growers who lost acreage in 2022 are eligible for federal assistance The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency is making $250 million available to rice growers who lost production acreage in 2022. USDA on May 8 began sending prefilled applications...

⋅ BY LESLEY DIXON ⋅ A recent decision by a Louisiana appellate court to uphold the state's “Truth in Labeling of Food Products Act” has been hailed as a victory for consumers and the agriculture industry. The 3-0 ruling by the...

⋅ BY HARDIN YOUNG ⋅ University of Arkansas Relations Andy Weir’s bestselling 2011 book, “The Martian,” features botanist Mark Watney’s efforts to grow food on Mars after he becomes stranded there. While Watney’s initial efforts focus on growing potatoes, new research presented...

⋅ BY MARY HIGHTOWER ⋅ University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture More than 220 people found their way to the Poinsett County site along Arkansas Highway 1 to witness a groundbreaking for the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center, a facility...

⋅ BY DREW VIGUET ⋅ NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL LAW CENTER Years of controversy, recent litigation and amended regulation of agricultural pesticides are changing and molding the farming landscape, including for the Mid-South region of the U.S. The National Agricultural Law Center’s 10th Annual...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comment on draft guidance to improve the efficiency of EPA’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) analyses for new pesticide active ingredient applications and active ingredients undergoing registration review. This guidance, when...

Disease prevention is key In recent years, most disease calls have centered around sheath blight and the smuts (kernel smut and false smut). These two present very different management scenarios. Sheath blight continues to be our No. 1 disease issue in...