Rice Recognizes 2023 Industry Leaders

Louisiana rice specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy is the 2023 Rice Industry Award winner. He is knowledgeable, personable, and deeply committed to the U.S. rice industry through his work at the Louisiana State University H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. He travels the state assisting rice farmers, rice consultants, and Extension agents on the best management practices that are vital to producing viable, profitable, and sustainable rice crops year after year. His genuine passion for the industry makes him an invaluable asset to not only the Rice Station but to the rice industry in general.

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Ricedon molino
La. Farm Bureau Legislative Update: Be Prepared to Answer the Call

As the new year fast-approaches, your Farm Bureau legislative team is preparing for whatever might come ag’s way next year. Yes, we have a pro-business legislature and pro-business Governor that both support agribusiness, but that doesn’t mean Farm Bureau won’t have a fight on our hands over an issue yet to be seen; possibly an issue trickling down from the national level for each state to decide for itself.

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U.S. Rice Breeders Showcase New Varieties at Quality Symposium

Becoming a mainstay of the USA Rice Outlook conference, the fourth U.S. Rice Quality Symposium was held here last week.  USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley welcomed the group and spoke about the close ties between the U.S. and Central American countries.

The session featured six breeders from the public universities and the private sector showcasing 26 U.S. rice varieties currently either in development or in production. 

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RiceAvery Davidson
Congresswoman Julia Letlow Introduces the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2023

Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05) introduced H.R. 6717, the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2023. This proposed bill will revise two programs within the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 - the Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP), to provide farmers and owners of nonindustrial forest land who have been impacted by natural disasters with the option to receive advance emergency payments prior to carrying out emergency measures.

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Dr. Charity Schaffer Named Parish Chair of St. Helena Parish

Dr. Charity Schaffer, Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center Assistant Area Extension Agent for Youth Development and 4-H in St. Helena and Tangipahoa Parishes, has been appointed the Parish Chair for St. Helena Parish.

As the Parish Chair, Dr. Schaffer plans to partner with the LSU AgCenter to ensure that all parish groups are being served effectively and to work alongside fellow local extension agents to develop strategies and affirmative steps for assuring open access to programs and services that will meet the needs of underrepresented groups within St. Helena Parish.

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SU Ag CenterAvery Davidson
This Local Crawfish Restaurant's Apology Did Not Go the Way They Expected

The Crawfish Hole, located in Carencro off of University Drive has been dishing out some of the best boiled crawfish since 2011. Well, they had a bit of a rough night recently, and how they handled it is just... well, you've gotta see it to truly understand it.

Over the weekend, things simply didn't go as smooth as they usually do over at the Crawfish Hole. The wait was long – like, over-an-hour long. That's not the usual Crawfish Hole vibe, so the folks running the place did something pretty risky.

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AquacultureAvery Davidson
High Sugar Prices Create Signs of Substitution Among US Manufacturers

The USTR’s reallocation of 223,740 tonnes, raw value, of unused raw cane sugar TRQ allocations for 2023-24 was one of the earliest reallocations on record and should help ease tight raw cane sugar supplies. US raw cane supply is tight because of drought- reduced output in Louisiana and Mexico and a sizeable TRQ shortfall mostly due to the Philippines designating all of its production for domestic use this year.

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SugarcaneAvery Davidson
USA Rice Recognizes Leaders in Conservation and Sustainability

The U.S. rice industry bolsters its longstanding commitment to conservation and sustainability each year by recognizing industry leaders to showcase their stewardship efforts in preserving wildlife habitat and efficient use of natural resources.

At the Annual Rice Awards Luncheon for the 2023 USA Rice Outlook Conference last Thursday, California rice grower and chair of the USA Rice Conservation Committee Leo LaGrande presented the 2023 Distinguished Conservation Achievement Award to Paul Bonderson, founder of Brocade Communications Systems, and a past chair and past president of Ducks Unlimited.

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RiceAvery Davidson