by George Jared
Talk Business & Politics
Arkansas’ rice crop this year is set to be the smallest in nearly 50 years. Drought, higher input costs, and lower commodity prices are among the factors that are driving down this year.
There’s one pest, however, that has plagued rice farmers since the 1880s — the rice stink bug. The insect reportedly causes up to $20 million worth of damage to rice crops in Arkansas each year, according to AgInnovation. In heavily infested fields, yields can drop by up to 10%.