As we near the end of May, most rice growers have their 2024 rice crop in the ground. Overall, reports have this year’s crop in pretty good standing so far, despite several rounds of inclement weather, severe in some areas of the south over the last few weeks. It’s also that time of year when growers take the opportunity to attend various field day events hosted by research and extension staff who provide updates on current crop conditions and progress reports on research projects.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station will open its doors to visitors June 25 for its 115th annual field day, where research projects aimed at developing new rice varieties, managing pests and improving other aspects of production will be showcased.
The event will include tours of research plots along with a scientific poster session, trade show, indoor presentations and lunch. Field tours will start at 7 a.m., with the last wagon departing no later than 8:30 a.m.
Read MoreLast week, USA Rice participated in the U.S.-Cuba Agriculture Business Conference organized by the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba with the hope of furthering engagement between U.S. rice exporters and Cuban importers.
USA Rice met with private companies, agricultural cooperatives, and Alimport, the government agency that imports agricultural goods (and used to be the only entity authorized to do so). As Cuba is economically transitioning from state socialism to a mixed economy, the private sector is being developed and able to import U.S. goods. Additionally, last month the Cuban government authorized agricultural cooperatives to import and export.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook is for larger supplies, greater domestic use and exports, and higher ending stocks. The corn crop is projected at 14.9 billion bushels, 3 percent down from last year’s record as increases in yield helped partially offset decreased area. The yield projection of 181.0 bushels per acre is based on a weather-adjusted trend assuming normal planting progress and summer growing season weather, estimated using the 1988-2023 period.
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In the opinion of U.S. Congressman Rick Crawford, holding this type of meetings on a regular basis constitutes progress, although “we are still not where we would like to be”.
For any country in the world, food security is an essential component of national security, the legislator, who appreciated the growing support within the United States for agricultural initiatives in favor of regularizing economic and trade relations with the island, said.
Read MoreThe invasive Apple Snail was recently found in a live crawfish shipment coming from Louisiana to Arkansas. Experts say while there may not be an immediate concern for rice farmers currently, land owners and crawfish enthusiasts alike should be aware of the snails and alert Arkansas Game and Fish if they spot any of the invasive species.
Read MoreCaroline Hardy has joined the USA Rice team as a government affairs intern and will be working out of the Arlington office until she begins a law clerkship in Louisiana later this summer.
A Louisiana native, Caroline earned her B.S. from McNeese State University in agribusiness in 2021 and is entering her final year at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
Read MoreHorizon Ag is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. María Guadalupe Montiel for the newly created position of Rice Breeder for the company’s independent lab located at the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter Rice Research Station at Crowley.
The position was created as part of a recent partnership between Horizon Ag and the LSU AgCenter to support enhanced collaborative breeding efforts. In her new role, Dr. Montiel will have access to the AgCenter’s elite rice-breeding germplasm, and any new varieties released by Horizon Ag will be in addition to the AgCenter’s breeding activities.
Read MoreFor those of us in South Louisiana, we sometimes wince a little whenever we see videos pop up online from out-of-town YouTubers documenting their travels to Acadiana.
Not because we don't want them down here, but mainly because we're never sure what sort of light the video will show us in.
Admittedly, for people not from here, there's a whole lot about our lifestyle and culture that some people seem to misunderstand.
Read MoreThis week, industry leaders representing the rice farmer, merchant, and milling sectors traveled here to meet with Washington trade experts and advocate for leveling the global playing field on trade. USA Rice members also shared industry priorities for the next Farm Bill during talks with legislators on Capitol Hill.
The fly-in focused on the Biden Administration’s trade agenda; the current state of the World Trade Organization (WTO); challenges with domestic rail transportation; food aid during a time of war; interagency discussions about the financing situation in Iraq; food safety and pesticide regulatory issues; and advocacy for USDA trade promotion and market development programs.
It hasn’t been that long ago that the only way to irrigate rice was to build a system of levees strong enough to keep water at a prescribed depth on a field until it was ready to be drained and harvested.
Fast forward to 2024 and rice farmers now have seven, eight or possibly even nine systems, depending on how you count them, for keeping their crops watered during the long Midsouth growing season.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter is partnering with Horizon Ag, a seed marketing and variety development company, to initiate a new rice breeding program focused on varieties for southern rice-producing areas, which include Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter was recently awarded a $1 million grant to focus on specific Best Management Practices in sugarcane and rice that address reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health. Three rice farms in Vermillion parish are participating in this project to determine the effectiveness and impact of these practices compared with a more conventional production system.
Read MoreAs U.S. rice farmers rush to finish planting their 2024 crop, one of their largest export markets is at risk because of financial restrictions placed on banks that would normally provide dollars for U.S. rice shipments to Iraq.
Read MoreSeveral types of conventional cancer therapies, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, destroy healthy cells along with cancer cells. In advanced stages of cancer, tissue loss from treatments can be substantial and even fatal. Cutting-edge cancer therapies that employ nanoparticles can specifically target cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue.
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