RiceTec Marks 25 Years of Hybrid Rice
More than 200 rice farmers, researchers, and industry partners gathered here yesterday, surrounded by golden yellow and green fields filled with FullPage® rice to commemorate RiceTec’s 25th anniversary and the enormous impact the company has had on the industry.
Dr. Brian Ottis, RiceTec’s director of U.S. marketing and product management, kicked off the event, welcoming attendees to the facility that had been turned into a small fair, with multiple food trucks, a beer wagon, and a stage with a local band that kept people’s feet tapping in celebration of the company’s contributions to agricultural innovation.
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Best Management Practices For Rice To Be Featured At Field Day In Kaplan September 26
The LSU AgCenter will hold a field day focusing on best management practices for rice production Sept. 26 in Kaplan.
The event will showcase work AgCenter scientists are conducting through a grant from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation. It will take place at one of the four model farms taking part in the grant project — Richard Farms, located at 5632 Louisiana Highway 700. Registration will begin at 9 a.m.
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Two Louisiana Rice Farms Play a Major Role in Conservation Best Practices
Last week, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Office of Soil and Water Conservation (LDAF-OSWC) visited two farms to learn about Best Management Practices (BMPs) on rice production agricultural lands to increase air and water quality, wildlife habitat, soil health, and more. The purpose of the visits was to film the story of implementing BMPs on the farm, and share the experience of two south Louisiana rice farming families. The resulting film will be released by the LDAF in the coming months.
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Acadiana Farmers & Their Crops Are Liking August Heat After July Rains
The heat in Acadiana over the past couple of weeks has been intense. There is concern about its effect on crops.
When temperatures creep up into the triple digits, it's normally a bad thing for farmers, but since we've had so much rain from spring up to now in the summer months, that story is different.
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Iraq Resumes Purchases Of U.S. Rice
After months of uncertainty following U.S. government-imposed financial restrictions, Iraq again is purchasing rice from the United States. Over the weekend, ADM Rice sold a vessel of U.S. rice which will be loaded and sail to Iraq early this fall.
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USDA, USTR Name New Agricultural Trade Advisors, Including AFBF, USA Rice and ASCL Representatives
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai today announced the appointment or reappointment of 55 members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees.
The advisory committee system was created by Congress to ensure that U.S. agricultural stakeholders have input and insight into U.S. trade policy and negotiating objectives.
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Now's The Time To Touch Base With Federal Legislators
With August upon us, Congress has adjourned until September, giving Members of Congress the opportunity to return to their home districts and states where they will hold constituent meetings, town halls, and community events. Over the next five weeks, it will be critical for these elected officials to hear from U.S. rice industry stakeholders about important issues before reconvening for the final stretch of the 118th Congress.
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Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Guides for Louisiana Producers
Louisiana agriculture generates approximately $3 billion in sales each year, but in most years agricultural productivity is negatively affected by hurricane damage. Louisianans are familiar with the devastation and loss of life and property that can accompany a hurricane event as the state experiences, on average, one hurricane every three years. The total economic losses from a single hurricane can reach tens of billions of dollars, while agricultural losses can exceed one billion dollars. Louisiana is a major agricultural producer for the United States, but the structures, livestock, and crops are highly exposed to extreme wind and flooding during hurricane events.
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Nutrien Partners With Rice Stewardship Program
Farmers understand the importance of conservation, and as a leading provider of crop inputs and services, Nutrien understands the importance of supporting their growers. Recently, the company announced its collaborative partnership with the USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Program.
Nutrien’s commitment to the Rice Stewardship Program is a $1 million contribution over four years to further encourage the adoption of sustainable practices in all six rice producing states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California.
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Breeder Workshop Focuses on Central American Consumer Priorities
USA Rice recently held its inaugural Breeder Workshop at the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey (HRC) Rice Research Station, fostering a unique exchange between U.S.-based rice researchers and Central American industry professionals. The workshop aimed to identify U.S. rice varieties that align with Latin American consumer preferences, a crucial step in enhancing product appeal and regaining market share in the region.
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Rain Changes NBGC Field Day Location But Doesn’t Dampen Participation
Last week, USA Rice staff participated in the Model Farm Field Day at Armstrong Farms here. This event, hosted in collaboration with the National Black Growers Council and the Morehouse Black Farmers & Landowners Association, provided a unique opportunity for farmers, industry professionals, and community members to come together and learn from one another.
The festivities began the evening before with a welcome dinner where participants gathered to share a meal, enjoy each other's company, and dance the night away, which set the tone for a field day filled with camaraderie and shared learning.
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Leadership Lessons on The Rice Stuff Podcast
Leadership changes are all around us these days, and it’s not just national politics; USA Rice makes leadership changes every two years during the USA Rice Summer Meetings.
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Rice Industry Awards Nomination Deadline Extended to August First
The Rice Farmer of the Year, Rice Industry Award, and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award deadline has been extended to August 1, 2024.
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U.S. Senators Boozman And Cassidy Host Roundtable Discussion Of Farm Bill Priorities
Late last week, a group of Louisiana’s agricultural leaders sat down for a genuine conversation about the current state of agriculture in Louisiana and across the country with U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, at the Louisiana Farm Bureau (LFBF) office in Baton Rouge.
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ECIS Promises Time, Water Savings For Cascade Rice Irrigation
Gravity is a wonderful thing, especially when it helps rice farmers flood their fields using conventional levee systems, a practice also known as cascade irrigation.
Although farmers and researchers have developed new water-saving techniques for irrigating rice, conventional levee-gate systems remain the preferred irrigation practice for many Midsouth rice producers.
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