USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Larry Lawson, who passed away last Friday, September 20, one day before his 80th birthday.
A native of Crowley, Louisiana, Larry dedicated his life to farming rice, soybeans, and crawfish. He graduated from Crowley High School in 1962 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from the University of Southwest Louisiana.
Combines are running in Arkansas and Missouri. Meanwhile, Louisiana is tending to the ratoon crop and cotton is ready to be picked in Mississippi.
Paul Johnson completed his main rice harvest on Aug. 10 in Welch, La. Once he harvested the main crop, rice stubble was fertilized and flooded for regrowth, and he will manage the ratoon crop until mid-October.
Read MoreFor many cotton growers, hurricane/tropical storm Francine has thrown a wrench in cotton defoliation and harvest plans. Prior to Francine, there were many reports of cotton lodging, or “laying over”. This was most likely due to the fruit shed event Louisiana experienced in August. After shedding fruit in the lower canopy, cotton plants became heavier further up the canopy as bolls continued to develop and mature. As the bolls grew, the plant became heavier.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Economic Development Partnership appointed 11 board members to help promote economic growth throughout the state, and one of them resides in Morehouse Parish.
Meryl Kennedy Farr, the chief executive officer of Kennedy Rice Mill and 4Sisters Rice in Mer Rouge, is now sitting on the board that was established by ACT 590 in the 2024 legislative session, which is known as the “Positioning Louisiana to Win” bill.
Read MoreLast week, the Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE) hosted a virtual briefing titled, “U.S.-Cuba Cooperation on Food and Climate Security: Opportunities for Growth.” Among the five expert panelists was Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice senior director for international promotion for the Western Hemisphere, who provided valuable insights into U.S. rice industry perspectives on trade and collaboration with Cuba.
Read MoreLast week, USA Rice kicked off September’s National Rice Month (NRM) with a slew of promotional activities and promotions aimed at raising awareness of domestic rice and paying homage to those responsible for producing it.
Thirty-four years ago, September was designated as National Rice Month through an official act of Congress and presidential proclamation to honor the more than 125,000 individuals responsible for producing, milling, handling, and processing U.S.-grown rice, highlighting the cultural, nutritional, and economic importance of U.S.-grown rice, and showcasing the domestic rice industry.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook calls for smaller supplies and a modest decline in ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks for 2024/25 are 55 million bushels lower based on increases in exports and corn used for ethanol for 2023/24. Corn production for 2024/25 is forecast at 15.2 billion bushels, this estimate is a 39 million bushel increase from last month’s projections. This production increase was the result of a 0.5-bushel increase in yield from previous estimates to 183.6 bushels per acre. Harvested area for grain is unchanged at 82.7 million.
Read MoreLouisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 85.0 million bushels, up 3 percent from August 1 forecast but down 29 percent from 2023. Based on conditions as of September 1, yield is expected to average 191 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from last month and up 16 bushels from last year. Harvested acreage for grain is estimated at 445,000 acres, down 235,000 acres from 2023.
Read MoreU.S. rice sales to Iraq have resumed after months of delays due to newly-placed financial restrictions imposed by the U.S. government on Iraqi banks that would normally provide dollars for U.S. rice shipments to the country.
Earlier this month, Archer Daniels Midland’s Rice Division completed a sale of 80,000 tons of U.S. rice, which was expected to be loaded and shipped to Iraq in early fall. Another 40,000 tons was sold by Supreme Rice, according to the USA Rice Federation.
Read MoreUSA Rice, all state rice organizations, and nearly 300 other agricultural groups sent a letter to Congressional leaders: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calling for action on a meaningful Farm Bill reauthorization before the end of the year.
Read MoreWhile insiders know U.S.-grown rice is one of the most sustainable and responsibly grown crops in the world, telling that story to those who are unaware is increasingly important. To help recognize the crop’s unique environmental qualities and the people who improve rice’s sustainability every day, USA Rice launched a Sustainability Award in 2018 to identify and promote prime examples.
Read MoreThe sprawling historic Beaumont Rice Mills, situated at 1800 Pecos Street in Beaumont, Texas, loomed bleak and large, dominating the landscape as I approached for an interview with the mill president, Louis Broussard, Jr. His son, Jacob, arrived just in time to direct me to the third-story office where the business of the mill was being wrapped up.
Louisiana’s rice boom started around 1884 with the introduction of mechanical harvesting equipment, but due to pricey Louisiana land, many of the farmers headed across the state line to Texas, where land was abundant and cheap.
Read MoreThe Rice Leadership Development Program gives future leaders a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communication skills. Applications for the 2025-27 class are due by Friday, September 6.
The class attends four one-week sessions over a two-year period that encompasses studies of all aspects of the rice industry through firsthand observations. They also attend seminars and workshops designed to strengthen leadership skills.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter will hold a field day focusing on best management practices for rice production Sept. 26 in Kaplan.
Read MoreArkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas rice producers that qualify as Historically Underserved (HU) according to NRCS definitions have until Friday, August 30, to apply for the Rice Stewardship Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities project. Producers with a history of growing rice have the option to choose from a variety of management and structural practices and create a contract customized to fit their operation.
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