At the edge of Chris Isbell’s rice field, three miles south of Bayou Meto, the famous duck-hunting wetland, Ben Runkle tight-rope walks the narrowest of bridges, a one-by-12 plank spanning two cinderblock towers. He’s proud of the bridge, designed...
• By Mark Isbell •
Field to Market, the Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, recently convened in Chicago for its summer plenary and to announce the 2019 Farmer Spotlights, an award recognizing innovative farmers engaging in continuous improvement and using Field...
The 45th annual Eagle Lake Rice Field Day is scheduled for 4 p.m., June 25, at the David R. Wintermann Rice Research Station on Farm-to-Market Road 102 just north of Eagle Lake.
The field day will offer an opportunity for...
Whether at industry group annual meetings or during Web-based seminars, the message remains the same: Agriculture has to do a better job telling its story to try to connect with consumers, who are generations removed from their agrarian roots.
Many...
By now, it cannot be doubted that the U.S. rice industry leads the way when it comes to sustainability in agriculture. Whether it’s providing essential wildlife habitat, conserving water and soil, or technical innovations that use less energy and...
To say you’re sustainable is one thing. But to put numbers to that statement — and numbers that show substantial improvement in using resources more efficiently — is quite another.
USA Rice recently released the executive summary of its “2018...
Two California operations that grow rice are among the three farms in the running for the California Leopold Conservation Award.
The honor, which recognize private landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources, will be presented at the...
If you know a grower or entity that has embraced sustainability through innovative practices and leadership, they might be a perfect candidate for the second annual USA Rice Sustainability Award.
Now in its second year, the award is designed to...
I recently attended the Field to Vase Dinner held on the grounds of the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Not only was the event a feast for the senses, but it also allowed California's cut flower industry to showcase...
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has opened the application period for a special conservation program designed for rice producers in all six rice-producing states.
The special conservation stewardship program known as the Rice Regional Conservation Partnership Program is a joint...
In this guest column, Lonoke County, Arkansas, rice producer Mark Isbell writes about the importance of engaging with groups developing sustainability initiatives to ensure the nuances of rice production are valued and compensated.
By Mark Isbell
Let’s be honest. You are...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service has approved nearly $6 million for two Regional Conservation Partnership Program proposals focused on water and habitat in Texas and Louisiana rice lands.
Established in the 2014 Farm Bill, the RCPP competitively...
Jennifer James, a rice farmer from Newport, Arkansas, was recently named the 2017 Farmer of the Year by the Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture.
The award is presented to a producer who has embraced conservation and stewardship...
Rice farmers just by their nature are conservationists and stewards of the land. But do you know a producer who goes above and beyond the call of duty by adopting the latest technologies to further protect resources?
Nominate him or...
Southeast Missouri State University will host an agriculture technology workshop series, beginning Aug. 1, to help agribusinesses gain insight into innovations and regional resources available to them.
The series will meet each Tuesday and Thursday during the first two weeks...
