Faculty and staff of the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station served as meeting coordinators and hosts of the biennial Rice Technical Working Group (RTWG) meeting. The Rice Technical Working Group is a collection of scientists, students, and industry personnel all working to advance rice production
Read MoreSlow demand in a well-supplied market has pushed global rice prices down in recent weeks. Buyers have held back as new crops increase availability.
Read MoreADM Rice has sold 88,000 more metric tons of U.S. long grain milled rice to Iraq, bringing to 220,000 metric tons the amount purchased by Al Awees, the agency that buys and distributes grain for the Iraqi government, in 2024-25.
Read MoreRice planting got off to a delayed start this year in Texas and southwest Louisiana because of wet and cool conditions early, but it is pedal to the metal this week as growers work to get seeds in the ground.
In Texas, planting progress west of Houston is all over the board with some farmers finished (L.G. Raun in El Campo, and Allen Anderson in East Bernard) to some who have not yet started. A common theme is lack of ground moisture, with several farmers saying they delayed planting because of lack of soil moisture, but with no rain in the forecast, they will plant dry and plan to flush fields for seed germination.
Read MoreLast week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) released the 2025 Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) allocations, with USA Rice receiving nearly $5 million, in addition to the $6.5 million in Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) funds allocated at the end of last year.
Read MoreA raging fire destroyed the historic Lake Charles Rice Mill on North Kirkman Street, engulfing the central warehouse and a rice dryer in flames on April 26, 1984, and forcing the evacuation of more than 200 families from their homes.
The seven-story facility was gutted by fire when a 440-volt fuse box exploded, triggering a massive fire in the 59-year-old building, according to that day’s front page of the American Press.
Read MoreEach year, the U.S. rice industry produces approximately 20 billion pounds of rice. Most of that rice is grown on family farm operations, creating more than 125,000 jobs nationwide, primarily in the top six rice producing states where small communities depend on the agricultural industry.
Read MoreUSA Rice is committed to helping students start their school days the “rice” way with a new national school recipe contest designed to promote increased rice usage during breakfast. The contest is designed for school foodservice professionals, operators, and chefs representing grades K-12 and encourages them to submit original breakfast recipes featuring U.S.-grown rice. “Rice & Shine” aims to inspire increased rice consumption during K-12 breakfast meals with new recipes derived from the contest submissions.
Read MoreThe U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) helped introduce legislation to protect the rice industry against dumping of cheap produce into U.S. markets from India and China.
The Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act would establish a joint task force on agricultural trade enforcement led by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Read MoreRice farmers will be the first to receive a much-anticipated new herbicide mode of action - the first for the industry in almost 40 years. FMC developed Dodhylex Active, the key ingredient in the newly named Keenali Complete - aiming for release in 2026 pending EPA approval.
Read MoreU.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Boozman (R-AR), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act to protect the Louisiana rice industry against dumping of cheap produce into U.S. markets from India and China.
Read MoreThat might seem like an impossible dream for most of the U.S. Rice Belt, but it’s getting closer to reality as rice farmers in south Louisiana plant more of their acres using minimum-till or no-till practices.
The key seems to be doing any needed field preparation in the fall and spraying a burndown herbicide to kill winter vegetation prior to planting, according to Ronnie Levy, Extension rice specialist for Louisiana with the LSU AgCenter.
Read MoreADM Rice made a sale of 88,000 metric tons (MT) of U.S. long grain milled rice to Iraq last week, bringing the tonnage to 220,000 MT for the 2024-2025 Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU), surpassing the agreed upon amount of 200,000 MT.
Read MoreMore than 300 rice researchers from around the world gathered here this week for the 40th biennial Rice Technical Working Group (RTWG) meeting to discuss everything from agronomy, breeding, and cytogenics to utilization, weed control, and yield.
Over four days, attendees had their work cut out for them navigating daily schedules, with the event offering more than 151 oral presentations in six discipline panels, multiple committee meetings, three symposia, education sessions, a general session, an industry lunch, an awards lunch, and poster sessions highlighting 102 fledgling research projects.
Read MoreHundreds of Louisiana rice farmers are bracing for potential economic fallout as President Donald Trump’s administration considers cutting funds to a U.S. food aid program that purchases and ships their crops to feed the poor in other countries.
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