Rice Farming March 2023

Omnibus legislation authorizes USDA to make payments to rice farmers

Tom Kelley: A Texas legacy

Navigating rice crops and water restrictions

Rice Technical Working Group honors Bob Scott

Photo by Cassidy Nemec

A fresh start bodes well for the rice industry

Tony Robbins, who has been billed as the nation’s No. 1 life and business strategist, once said, “Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.”

The past three years have been difficult for almost everyone. We saw a lot of things go wrong. It sometimes seemed as if the more we tried, the deeper we sank.

However, while putting together this issue of Rice Farming, it occurred to me there is a lot of good news on the horizon for the rice industry. Perhaps 2023 is the year to reset and start moving in a more positive direction.

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION

Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com

Associate Editor Cassidy Nemec cnemec@onegrower.com

Copy Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com

Digital Content Editor Katie Guthrie kguthrie@onegrower.com

Art Director Ashley Kumpe akumpe@onegrower.com

ADMINISTRATION

Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie 901-497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com

Carroll Smith Editor

In the cover story on page eight, Tom Kelley, who farms rice in Eagle Lake, Texas, said they are still having some issues related to the Lower Colorado River Authority supplying water for his crop. Despite this challenge, he looks for ways to modify his approach to irrigation. He said he will still have about 350 acres of rice this season thanks to two out of his three water wells being electric. “The power source is cheap, so the water is cheap, so we will grow.”

Betsy Ward, USA Rice president and CEO, outlines all the positives the rice trade organization has achieved and will continue to achieve moving forward thanks to farmers participating in the state check-off programs. To better understand how producers are getting a substantial return on their investment, check out her column on page six. U.S. rice is moving forward in a positive direction in terms of research, promotion and advocacy because of these funds.

In California, where rice farmers have endured a debilitating drought for years, there is good news on the water allocation front for 2023. Due to gains in the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the California Department of Water Resources increased its forecasted allocation recently. Go to page 10 to see what the state’s rice farmers can expect.

Another positive that can help things go right for rice this year is a new production program that will provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers. Read the article on page 13 to see what steps producers can take to be prepared to sign up when the program is released later this spring.

After considering all this good news, as we embark on a new rice-growing season, it’s time for a fresh start. Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.

Associate Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Carroll Smith 901-326-4443 csmith@onegrower.com

Associate Publisher/Sales Manager Scott Emerson 386-462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com

Production Manager David Boyd dboyd@onegrower.com

Audience Services Kate Thomas 847-559-7514

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UPL is with you.

Every step of the way.

When rice growers face challenges, the team at UPL is right there with them, with boots-on-the-ground expertise and a portfolio of proven solutions to help them succeed. Like dependable RICEBEAUX® herbicide, developed to fill the weed gap in the Clearfield® Production System. And because we’re a global manufacturer, our product formulations and reliable supply chain are second to none. From preplant to postharvest, UPL will be there to help you succeed. That’s our promise.

UPLRicePortfolio.com

Smart solutions from preplant to postharvest.

By Betsy Ward President and CEO USA Rice

Check-off dollars: An investment in the future

In many ways, 2022 was a disappointing and challenging year for the rice industry. After the threat of railroad strikes, India and China flouting their WTO obligations, historic drought, geopolitical unrest from Ukraine to Haiti, skyrocketing input costs and stagnating prices, rice acreage in the United States was troublingly down last year. But as always, our industry persevered and even secured some historic wins — achievements during a difficult time made possible largely thanks to the strategic use of state check-off dollars. Now more than ever, these funds are a crucial investment that keeps U.S. rice competitive, viable and profitable.

USA Rice, your national trade organization, carefully uses check-off dollars entrusted to us to fight for our position in a domestic market beset with imports, imposters and alternatives to rice. Here is a recent reminder of some of our programs and success stories.

Seeing almost unstoppable interest in aromatic varieties, we launched a campaign for U.S.-grown aromatics that targeted foodservice leaders and influencers. A combination of partnerships, paid promotions and training for foodservice distributors greatly increased awareness of these homegrown grains.

We partner with social media influencers, supermarket retail dietitians and others to generate tens of millions of consumer impressions every year. We work with research chefs to develop new and exciting rice recipes for consumers, foodservice, the health professional space and schools — all of which lead to increased menuing and use of U.S.-grown rice.

Research and promotion

Check-off resources are used to help tell rice’s unique success story — we launched our sensational podcast, The Rice Stuff, which is approaching 20,000 unique downloads and has featured guests such as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack; USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie; Arkansas Senator John Boozman, the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee; TV chef Sara Moulton, and many more.

We also use these funds to promote our exceptional sustainability story, positioning U.S. rice for all audiences as a leader in this important public policy space.

Check-off dollars fund breeding programs, as well as research into soil, water, weeds, pest control, yields and more. University Extension programs and rice research stations are invaluable resources for farmers who do their part to make our industry the best it can be.

Check-off dollars for advocacy

But it’s not all about promotions and research. While most check-off dollars are earmarked for either promotion or research, some provisions allow for unrestricted funds that can be put toward advocacy.

USA Rice used these funds, combined with other industry resources, to (among other things) secure the $250 million ad hoc rice assistance program appropriated by Congress in December and signed by President Biden. That is a direct return on your investment.

So, too, we will use those resources in the months ahead as we fight for improvement in the 2023 Farm Bill, and as we keep pressure on our government to hold India and other trade bad actors to account.

We could not do any of this critical work without the support of your check-off contributions, so I thank you for continuing to participate in these programs. And if someone asks you just what you, or they, get out of the rice check-off, I hope you’ll keep a copy of this column handy and tell them you get a terrific return on investment.

State check-off dollars allow USA Rice to fight for U.S. rice in a domestic market.

Weed Control: The Race Is On Pat Roberts

AGvice Crop Consulting McGehee, Arkansas

I got involved with agriculture in high school working in the summers for a local farmer. After that, I wanted to be a farmer myself and was always on the lookout for land while attending college. A couple years later, some ground became available, so I started farming in 1978 and farmed for 27 years. In 2006, I began working for my brother, Tim Roberts, who is a consultant in Dyersburg, Tennessee. In 2009, I came back to McGehee, Arkansas, and started my own crop consulting business.

The most intense thing about rice farming today is scouting for weeds and applying the right herbicides to prevent them from coming up or take them out if they emerge. Last year, we had several rains early in the season to help activate our pre-emerge herbicides. But in June, the weather turned hot and dry — even at nighttime — which caused our yields to be down.

Start Clean, Stay Clean

On heavy buckshot, we run Roundup and FirstShot herbicides to get rid of any weeds already out there. My pre-emerge program consists of Command, Sharpen and Facet herbicides. I like a three-shot, three-herbicide application behind the drill.

I have both levee rice and row rice, and the weed spectrum can be di erent on each one of them. I almost always make one more herbicide application on row rice. Barnyardgrass is our biggest challenge. If we don’t get the pre-emerge herbicides activated in a timely manner and the grass gets up, the race is on. At that time, we begin applying Grasp® SC herbicide and Regiment to get the weeds under control. Then before I go to flood, I apply Grasp. If we have pigweed, I apply Loyant® herbicide with a ground rig on the next trip right behind the Grasp application.

Kyle Colwell with Corteva Agriscience™ and I talk to each other almost every day that time of year to stay on top of the weeds. On row rice, we go after pigweed with Loyant, and it helps with coffeebean and a lot of the broadleaf weeds, too. Depending on the soil type, I also use Loyant in levee rice. For example, the soil type may be a little di erent at the upper end of the field. It may not be puredee buckshot, so I am going after pigweed and broadleaves.

Farmers and consultants have to get out and look for weeds early in the season. Start clean, stay clean, overlap pre-emerge herbicides and hope the Good Lord blesses us with a rain to activate them. Controlling weeds is the No. 1 goal to strive for.

• Attended University of Arkansas at Monticello for two years before starting to farm in 1978.

• Certified Crop Consultant.

• Consults on rice, cotton, soybeans and corn. Has consulted on rice for 15 years.

• Has consulted on cotton, soybeans and corn for 18 years.

• Serves as a deacon at the McGehee Church of Christ.

• Married to his wife, Karen, for 48 years. Two sons: Justin (Emily) and David (Michelle). Five grandchildren.

• Pat and Karen enjoy going to the beach in the fall. He also enjoys fishing with his grandsons and hunting in the wintertime.

Recap: Weed Control — The Race Is On

1. Following burndown, I like a three-shot, three-herbicide application behind the drill.

2. I have both levee rice and row rice, and the weed spectrum can be di erent on each one of them.

3. Barnyardgrass is our biggest challenge. If we don’t get the pre-emerge herbicides activated in a timely manner and the grass gets up, the race is on.

4. At that time, we begin applying Grasp® SC herbicide and Regiment to get the weeds under control. Then before I go to flood, I apply Grasp. If we have pigweed, I apply Loyant® herbicide right behind the Grasp application.

5. Loyant helps with co eebean and a lot of the broadleaf weeds, too.

Sponsored

Pat Roberts pictured with his wife, Karen, and their five grandchildren.

Tom Kelley: A Texas legacy

Navigating rice crops and water restrictions.

By Cassidy Nemec Associate Editor

As a former Texas A&M Yell Leader and current farmer in Eagle Lake, Texas, Tom Kelley never doubted for a second he’d end up back in farming.

Stemming from a long line — four generations before him to be exact — of farmers and ranchers, Kelley attended Texas A&M University and went to work as a scuba instructor on an island for five years before returning to Texas to continue in the industry.

“I grew up in Conroe, Texas, but we always came here [Eagle Lake] as kids. My dad is from Conroe, and my mom from Eagle Lake. My mom’s family consisted of the farmers in the area I’d come back to work for in the fields starting when I was eight or nine years old,” Kelley said. He started out shoveling at a young age before moving on to drive the auger cart, combines and tractors.

Kelley came back to Texas and began working with BioFac Crop Care out of Mathis, Texas, selling beneficial insects.

“I enjoyed the scouting more than I did the selling and ended up scouting on my own for 21 years. I also started selling crop insurance in 1997 and farming rice in 2003. Doing all three of those at once didn’t work, so I cut the scouting out a few years ago,” he said.

Both his brothers, Tim and Trent, worked with him for a while but are out of it now. Tim runs the cattle operation while Tom focuses on the rice, and Trent now works in the oil and gas industry and still comes to help when needed.

The current operation

Tom said they typically plant their roughly 140-day, air-drilled rice crop around April 1 every year on their crop share system. This way, they are hopefully getting their rice out of the field in mid-August ahead of peak hurricane season in mid-September. “We try to get everything in and out and done well before then so that by the time we start getting into hurricane season, we don’t have to worry about it.”

He said once they cut their rice at that 16% to 18% moisture range, it goes straight to the rice dryer in town. Their dryer takes the rice out of the receiving bin and puts it in front of a natural gas flame to dry in stages until it reaches about 11% moisture for fumigation and storage. Kelley broke down the costs of this process, along with the costs factored into their selling process.

“It costs you about a dollar and 25 cents a hundredweight to dry your rice,” he said. “It costs you another 10 to 15 cents a hundredweight for the brokering and marketing, and then it costs you nine cents a month per hundredweight for storage. We estimate two dollars a hundredweight, as a round number, for drying, marketing and storage.”

Kelley discussed the rice quality problems they have had in the United States the past few years. He said package rice makes about

50 barrels, or roughly 8,000 pounds, to the acre on a first crop and is great quality. He said that hybrid rice, on the other hand, is not as good quality but can make as much as 70 barrels, or roughly 10,000 pounds, per acre on a first crop.

“On a year like 2022 when we could get as much as 20 dollars per hundredweight, that extra 2,000 pounds adds up to another 400 dollars per acre or more.”

He added that he once grew seed rice for eight or nine years and really enjoyed it.

As far as his current varieties go, Kelley planted RiceTec XL 723, 745 and 753 in 2022 and is set to plant RiceTec XL 723 and XL 7321 for the 2023 season.

Kelley mentioned that conventional rice is forgiving when it comes to weeds, diseases and insects.

The floods keep their regular weed issues down, but they do have issues with grass.

“Our big problem is grass, and these grasses have adapted to where standing water doesn’t kill it, and the chemicals we have don’t kill some of them. When they do kill them, we have to get

Tom Kelley, a born-and-raised Texan and rice farmer, is familiar with many water issues affecting the Texas rice industry.

them in there early to kill them when they’re little,” Kelley said.

For any diseases, Kelley typically manages with a fungicide every year. He noted that the fungicide has become expensive but that it works. Overall, he knows surrounding areas have much higher disease pressure (blast, etc.) as compared to his minimal issues.

Stinkbugs are their main insect culprits.

“They’re pretty easy to kill. We use a product called Tenchu. It has good residual to where you can spray every other swath, and it will spread and carry over,” Kelley said.

Water is key

Water played a dominant role in the 2022 rice season and is looking to play even more of one in 2023.

In 2022, everyone in the Eagle Lake area planted their rice around the same time, so obtaining the water needed became difficult.

“It was wet for a period of time, then all of a sudden dry. This led to everyone planting later in the season and trying to get water at the same time.”

Kelley noted they’ve made adjustments in their fields for the water.

“We went in and took out the contour levees, put the highs into the lows and put it on a 2/10” slope. Part of that is permanent levees and the other is aluminum water boxes.”

He said USDA does help with the land leveling. Depending on the situation, they’ll pay for 40% or 50% sometimes and do it all in the name of water conservation.

“When I was younger, there were levees everywhere. Anytime we knew it was going to rain, we wouldn’t sleep because we’d be so worried it was going to be washed out. Now, we don’t have to worry about it,” he said, even noting Hurricane Harvey did not affect the areas he was able to implement those systems in.

He pointed out a field that he said was very labor intensive and extremely inefficient from a water standpoint. That field went from having 40 levees to having five permanent levees on each side.

Kelley has visited with someone about alternate wetting and drying practices, but it is not feasible for them right now.

“With us, we have to be able to turn the water on and off. If water is in short supply and we let it go dry, knowing that we need water next Tuesday, and we get told Tuesday we can’t get water until Friday or Saturday, that’s a problem.”

Looking to the past to look ahead

Kelley commented on the traditional aspects of farming in America and how that affects the way things are done now.

“Farming in America, versus farming somewhere like Australia for example, we have the burden of tradition. They didn’t start really farming in Australia until the ‘60s, while we’ve been farming in this country since the 1600s and 1700s. I was able to have outside influences to show me things didn’t have to be done the same way they’ve always been done. I had the tradition, but I could kind of modify it.”

He continued by saying, even with him liking the way things are for the most part, how much and how quickly technology has changed and impacted how they farm. “Just the difference in

chemicals, varieties and technology alone — you can’t not modify and still survive. In agriculture, if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind.”

Kelley admitted that embracing new technology is expensive. He said once it is done, however, most are normally glad to have it and the ease and efficiency some of the new technologies can provide.

His 2022 first crop started off messy with rain and rutting up the fields before their second crop, but yields were good at 55 bbls., or just under 9,000 pounds, per acre.

Kelley mentioned some of their cattle land nearby is likely going to be lost, so there may be possibility for more rice on the horizon.

Troubled waters

The Lower Colorado River Authority controls the Lower Colorado River that comes out of Austin. Kelley said they do a lot of conjunctive use with LCRA to try and save on costs.

“We’ve been trying to go all LCRA for the first crop and water wells for the second,” he said. “They weren’t able to get us the water in time this last year, so we couldn’t do that.”

The nearby combined storage lakes of Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan have an overall water-holding capacity of just over twomillion-acre feet.

Kelley discussed how they are on interruptible water with LCRA in that area, so they can be cut off and are low on the totem pole when it comes to availability — even while paying about $70 an acre foot for their water. Firm customers, however, pay more than farmers — about $160 per acre foot of water — so they don’t get cut off unless it gets to a terrible point. While there are some nuances when it comes to senior and junior water rights, those firm customers get priority for paying for that guarantee, and farmers would get cut off long before they would.

The trigger for farmers to get cut off in this area is determined by their two reads on March 1 and July 1. If the combined storage levels are less than 1.5-million-acre feet, curtailment will go into effect. If the combined storage levels are less than 1.3-million-acre feet, total cutoff will happen for those on interruptible water.

The 2022 season had some curtailment for their second crop, and the 2023 season is shaping up to have total cutoff for some areas.

“The lakes are so low that they will not be releasing any water for downstream rice this year. So, there will be about 50,000 acres in the three counties in this area that will not be farmed this year,” Kelley said.

He said he will still have about 350 acres of rice this season thanks to two out of his three water wells being electric. “The power source is cheap, so the water’s cheap, so we will grow.”

His other diesel-powered well will probably not be in use just due to the sky-high cost of diesel still in place. He said this will have a downstream effect of hurting the fertilizer, seed and diesel communities, but the lack of water creates an “act of nature” from the ongoing drought that most in the area will use for their insurance claims this season.

2023 will certainly prove to be a unique one for Texas rice.

The 2022 season had some water curtailment for their second crop, and the 2023 season is shaping up to have total cutoff for some areas.

A measure of certainty

California farmers expected to get increased water allocations in 2023.

By Christine Souza  California Farm Bureau Federation

Winter storms that bolstered the Sierra Nevada snowpack and added to California reservoirs prompted federal and state water managers to announce increases in anticipated water allocations for the 2023 growing season.

e U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recently announced an initial allocation of 35% of contracted water supplies for agricultural customers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

e announcement brought a measure of certainty for farmers, ranchers and agricultural water contractors, a er o cials provided zero water allocations for agriculture from the federal Central Valley Project in 2021 and 2022.

More water on hand

Ernest Conant, director of the California Great Basin region of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the CVP, said the project began the 2023 water year with 3.6 million acre-feet of storage in its six key reservoirs. at was just 29% of capacity a er three years of drought.

But storm events in December and January changed the water picture. e precipitation added another three million acre-feet to the state’s upstream reservoirs and built average snowpack levels to 205% of average by Feb. 1.

e improved forecast for federal water allocations was welcomed by Fresno County farmer Je Fortune, board president of Westlands Water District, a CVP water contractor.

“We’d been anticipating a much lower release initially, but we stressed to the Bureau that the farmers need a higher initial allocation so they know what they can do in the spring at planting time,” said Fortune, who farms tomatoes, almonds and pistachios

in Cantu Creek just west of Five Points.

Now some fellow farmers are planning increased plantings.

“One of my neighbors, as soon as the initial allocation came out, he called his seed vendor and ordered 600 acres of feed corn that he was going to have to idle,” Fortune said. “ is will be a salvation for this year, and we’re hopeful that future hydrology will allow this initial allocation to increase.”

Relief for tough decisions

Westlands Water District o cials reported that the past two years of no water led to fallowing of more than 223,000 acres, or 36% of the district’s farmland.

For the 2023 water year, Fortune said, he was ready to make tough decisions about removing trees and row crops based on the forecasted allocation amount.

“If we had a zero allocation this year, we were going to have to fallow all of our row crops and pull out 600 acres of permanent plantings. We needed at least 25% this year to farm everything,” he said. “We thought we may have to lay o a third of our employees, and now we don’t have to lay anybody o .”

Due to gains in the Sierra Nevada snowpack, the California Department of Water Resources also increased its forecasted allocation recently from the State Water Project to 35% of requested water supplies, up from 30% forecast in January.

In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Feb. 13 executive order gave state water agencies the guidance and exibility to move and store water.

at order allows the State Water Resources Control Board to reevaluate requirements for reservoir releases and diversion limitations to maximize water supplies north and south of the delta.

A ected by reduced water supplies last year, rice farmers across the Sacramento Valley fallowed about 250,000 acres of rice ground, or half of the state’s rice crop.

Senior water rights holders, including the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Settlement Contractors, are now due to receive 100% of their historical allocation. However, the federal allocation may be reduced, Conant said, based on inflows into Lake Shasta, the CVP’s largest reservoir.

A rice farmer’s perspective

Fritz Durst, a Sacramento River settlement contractor who farms rice, alfalfa, sunflowers, tomatoes and cereal crops near Knights Landing, said he is hopeful but still has serious concerns about this water year.

“Unfortunately, this year we haven’t seen nearly the rain on the coast range to the west or to the north in the Shasta area,” he said. “While many parts of California suffered from floods, we are way under in terms of what we would normally get, so it’s going to be tough.”

Sacramento River Settlement Contractors received an 18% water allocation last year, but Durst said it was not known whether farmers would be able to access the river. As a result, he said, “people didn’t even plant their 18% because they didn’t know if they would have a dry period for two to three weeks in the middle of summer where they couldn’t get any water. You couldn’t take that risk.”

For this year, Durst said, “Right now, I’d say it is pretty much a 95% chance we’re going to get 50% of our water.”

Durst is a trustee for Reclamation District No. 108, which delivers water to nearly 48,000 acres of farmland in Colusa and Yolo counties. He said farmers need a more solid water allocation amount in the next six weeks to move forward with plans to plant rice.

Affected by reduced water supplies last year, rice farmers

across the Sacramento Valley fallowed about 250,000 acres of rice ground, or half of the state’s rice crop.

“With the requirements of Shasta Reservoir, it’s not just about how much water comes out of the reservoir for the fish, but it’s also about the temperature of that water,” said Durst.

He noted that fisheries agencies do not yet have a temperature management plan. “If it doesn’t rain much more, it is possible that they could back off from that 100%,” Durst said. “So we really don’t know.”

After receiving no contracted water last year, Reclamation officials announced that north-of-delta irrigation water-service and repayment contractors will receive 35% of their contract total. Municipal and industrial contractors along the Sacramento and American Rivers, and municipalities in the delta and south of the delta, are allocated 75% of historical requests.

‘Cautiously optimistic’

Friant Division, Class 1 contractors are allocated the first 800,000 acre-feet of supply, and Class 2 contractors may receive the next amount, up to 1.4 million acre-feet.

Looking ahead, Conant said, “While we are cautiously optimistic, we are also cognizant of the uncertainties that exist and the fluctuating nature of California’s climate with the possibility that dry conditions will return.”

The Central Valley Project provides an annual average five million acre-feet of water for farms, 600,000 acre-feet of water for municipal and industrial uses and water for wildlife refuges and maintaining water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Allocations may be adjusted as the water year progresses.

Arkansas producers rewarded for water efficiency

By Tracy Courage U of A System Division of Agriculture

When it comes to the annual Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, less is always more.

The annual University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture program — referred to as “Most Crop per Drop” — promotes the use of irrigation management practices and rewards growers who demonstrate the highest water-use efficiency in growing rice, corn and soybeans.

Winners were announced during the 34th annual Arkansas Water and Soil Education Conference in Jonesboro. This year’s top winners share something in common: They’ve all previously won top honors in another crop category. This year, the top three finishers in each crop category received more than $20,000 in cash and prizes from industry sponsors.

Considerable farmer participation

“The contest is an opportunity for farmers to explore their individual aptitude to reduce energy, water use, labor and improve profitability,” said Chris Henry, associate professor and water management engineer for the Division of Agriculture.

Last year, 29 producers from 16 counties throughout the Arkansas Delta competed. Two of the growers entered multiple crops and fields. Each producer — except for flooded rice entries — used at least one irrigation management tool such as computerized hole-selection, multiple-inlet rice irrigation, soil moisture sensors or surge irrigation.

Jefferson County producer Chad Render has competed four years. On his first try, he didn’t place; the following year, he won the corn category after using Delta Plastics’ Pipe Planner program, watermark sensors and cover crops, all of which aid in conservation efforts. Last year, he won the soybean category, and this year, he took top honors in the furrow rice category. He is also the overall winner in the rice division.

“Chad has become comfortable with managing his water and not overwatering,” said Russ Parker, a program associate based at the Rice Research and Extension Center, part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. “He’s very involved personally in scheduling the irrigation of his fields.”

Impressive prizes awarded

Mississippi County producer Cody Fincher, who farms in Dyess, previously won first place in rice last year, and is this year’s soybean winner. He achieved a water-use efficiency of 4.25 bushels per inch — the highest water-use efficiency since the contest began five years ago.

Newcomers Rieves Wallace and his father, John Wallace, of Crittenden County placed in three crop categories: second place in row rice and soybean, and third place in flooded rice.

The overall rice winner received $2,000 and a RiceTec seed

Flooded Rice Winners

• 1st place — Karl Garner, 7.66 bushels/inch, Cross County.

• 2nd place — Mark Felker, 6.56 bushels/inch, Crittenden County.

• 3rd place — Rieves Wallace and John Wallace, 4.57 bushels/inch, Crittenden County.

Furrow Rice Winners

• 1st place — Chad Render, 7.94 bushels/inch, Jefferson County.

• 2nd place — Rieves and John Wallace, 6.38 bushels/inch, Crittenden County.

• 3rd place — Matt Morris, 6.22 bushels/inch, Lonoke County.

Corn Winners

• 1st place — James Wray, 12.43 bushels/inch, Poinsett County.

• 2nd place — Heath Donner, 7.23 bushels/inch, Mississippi County.

• 3rd place — Terry Smith, 6.11 bushels/inch, Greene County.

Soybean winners

• 1st place — Cody Fincher, 4.25 bushels/inch, Mississippi County.

• 2nd place — Rieves Wallace and John Wallace, 3.65 bushels/inch, Crittenden County.

• 3rd place — Karl Garner, 3.57 bushels/inch, Cross County.

credit worth $11,000. The first-place winners in corn and soybeans received $8,000 each; second-place winners, $3,000; and third-place winners, $1,000.

All winners collectively shared more than $90,000 in cash and equipment prizes provided by RiceTec, the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board, the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, McCrometer, Seametrics, Delta Plastics, Irrometer, Trellis, FarmLogs, Agsense and CropX.

For information about irrigation and how to get involved with the 2023 Most Crop per Drop contest, visit https://uaex.uada.edu/ irrigation.

Tracy Courage is the director of communications for the Cooperative Extension Service.

Jefferson County producer Chad Render (left), shown here with Lincoln County Extension agent Steven Stone, and Caleb Reaves, is the overall rice winner in the Most Crop per Drop Contest.

RUSS PARKER

‘Most Crop per Drop’ winners

Prepare now for new rice production program

Omnibus legislation authorizes USDA to make payments to rice farmers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently previewed plans to provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers and what steps they can take to be prepared to sign up when the program is released later this spring. USDA is sharing information early so producers can prepare for program signup, which will include a pre- lled application in an e ort to simplify and streamline the application process.

On Dec. 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided the authority and funding for USDA to make payments to rice producers based on data already on le with the USDA, including planted acres and acres prevented from being planted.

What farmers can do now

e full details of the program and application will not be available until a er a Notice of Funding Availability is published later this year in the Federal Register. But there is something farmers can do right now to be better prepared for the signup — if they qualify for a higher payment limitation.

e payment limitation for the program is set by law and is higher if the farmer’s average adjusted gross farm income (income from activities related to farming, ranching or forestry) is more than 75% of their average adjusted gross income (AGI). Specically, a person or legal entity with adjusted gross farm income of less than 75% of their overall AGI, cannot receive, directly or indirectly, more than $125,000 in payments. AGI is based on the three taxable years preceding the most immediately preceding complete tax year. Farmers with 75% or more AGI from farming qualify for a $250,000 payment limit.

Rice farmers may visit their local county o ce to submit the appropriate form and certi cation (FSA-510, Request for an Excep-

tion to the $125,000 Payment Limitation for Certain Programs) if they qualify for and want to seek the higher payment limit and get part of the paperwork done early. Farmers will still have a chance to ll out the AGI form during signup as well. e form should be lled out for the 2022 crop year.

Planned application process

A er the o cial notice is published later this year, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) plans to mail pre- lled applications to producers using information on le with USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) or FSA, as reported by rice producers through their crop insurance agents or FSA county o ce.

e streamlined application process reduces the burden on producers and minimizes errors due to manual data entries on the application form. More information will be provided when FSA announces the sign-up period in the coming weeks.

Program payments

As directed by the omnibus legislation, FSA will calculate Rice Production Program (RPP) payments by multiplying the payment rate, individual average actual production history (APH), as reported to RMA, or county yield and an amount of certi ed rice acres determined by the number of planted acres and acres that were prevented from being planted.

FSA plans to issue an initial payment to eligible farmers soon a er applications are returned and a nal payment a er the signup has closed. Details on these procedures and the initial payment rate will be in the future notice.

USDA provided this article.

Stepping up

By Olivia McClure

From the fertile soils of its farmlands to waterways that are crucial to commerce, Louisiana’s natural resources are key to the success of agriculture — and those involved in the industry have a duty to protect them — Gov. John Bel Edwards told a luncheon crowd of farmers, scientists and others.

Speaking during the Conservation Systems Conferences cohosted in Baton Rouge by the LSU AgCenter and several other universities, Edwards said Louisiana has long been a leader in agricultural production and makes a valuable contribution to feeding a growing world population. It’s now more important than ever that people working in agriculture prioritize sustaining the state’s land and water resources, he said.

“Having been blessed like we’ve been blessed, we also have a special responsibility to be good stewards of that — and I know that you all do that,” he said.

Importance of infrastructure

Many presentations at the event focused on conservation topics such as wisely using inputs, promoting soil health and efficiently irrigating. Twenty researchers, five farmers and six certified crop advisers from Louisiana joined counterparts from other Southern states on the programs of the National Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference, Southern Soybean and Corn Conference, Delta States Irrigation Conference and Southern Precision Ag Conference.

Edwards emphasized the economic value of agriculture. Louisiana’s 27,000 farms, along with 15 million acres of forestlands, make up a $11.6 billion industry.

“You may have small farms out there, but, collectively, it is very big business,” he said.

Edwards spoke about two issues affecting rural agricultural communities: access to broadband internet and the condition

of roads and bridges. Significant funding is being invested into making improvements in both areas, the governor said, adding that the upgrades will benefit farmers.

“As important as it is growing a crop, you’ve got to be able to transport it,” Edwards said.

Louisiana’s waterways and ports, which play a critical role in moving food and other agricultural goods around the world, are reaching impressive milestones.

“We will move from exporting 60% of the nation’s grain through Louisiana to 70% of the nation’s grain,” he said.

Challenges and determination

Edwards applauded farmers for their hard work amid recent adverse weather and economic conditions.

“I have some idea of the challenges that you face,” he said. “I milked cows at my

Speaking during the Conservation Systems Conferences in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards emphasized the economic value of agriculture. Louisiana’s 27,000 farms, along with 15 million acres of forestlands, make up a $11.6 billion industry. “You may have small farms out there, but, collectively, it is very big business,” he said.

daddy’s dairy barn in high school. Before that, I picked peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage at some farms in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, where I’m from. It seems like every time that you get better prices for whatever it is that you happen to be producing, the inputs also go up, whether it’s fuel or fertilizer. Or maybe if all of that’s going just right, Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.”

He encouraged those in the audience to do their part to keep Louisiana’s agriculture industry strong.

“It’s very important to acknowledge that farming is a very time-honored way of life,” he said. “It’s honest work. It is treasured here in Louisiana and around the country.”

Olivia McClure is associate communications specialist, LSU AgCenter.

Louisiana governor said farmers have ‘special responsibility’ to protect resources.

Best Management Practices to Maintain Effectiveness of Provisia Rice System

The Provisia® Rice System and variety PVL03 is expected to go out on significantly more acres in 2023 throughout the southern rice production region, based on comments and farmer engagement at the recent 26th annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference in Baton Rouge.

That means it is important for farmers to learn from early mistakes made with the system that contributed to instances of weedy rice outcrosses and to implement recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs) to steward the technology.

The Provisia Working Group, made up of representatives from Horizon Ag, BASF, rice industry dealers and distributors, and Louisiana State University AgCenter research and extension faculty, met last fall to refine BMPs for the system. Those BMPs were the topic of packed panel sessions during the recent Conservation Systems conference.

Other BMPs Include:

1. Using recommended residual herbicides. Command®, Prowl® and Facet® herbicides with grass activity control grass so that maximum coverage can occur with Provisia herbicide onto the weedy rice. Using residual herbicides for broadleaf activity PRE or DPRE (Sharpen®, Prowl, Facet, or Gambit® herbicides) will also reduce the need to tank mix with the Provisia herbicide.

2. Being cautious of tank mixing herbicides that might lead to antagonism with your Provisia application. Make at least one application of Provisia herbicide alone or two applications alone in a three-pass system. The size and population of weedy rice should always dictate follow-up applications.

3. Knowing which herbicides to mix and which not to mix. ALS-inhibiting herbicides can antagonize Provisia herbicide, although a second Provisia herbicide application 28 days after initial treatment can overcome much of the antagonism. Grasp® and Regiment® herbicides should be avoided for a tank mix, while sulfonylurea herbicides are better choices. For contact herbicides, Stam® herbicide severely antagonized Provisia herbicide activity, so propanil mixtures should be avoided. Basagran® and Sharpen herbicides antagonized Provisia herbicide activity at 14 days after treatment but were not antagonistic at 28 days.

4. Being diligent and cleaning fields up late-season. If weedy rice is present, it needs to be taken out. This may mean using late-season herbicide applications, roguing or spot spraying.

Dr. Connor Webster, LSU AgCenter weed scientist, said the development of outcrosses to the technology wasn’t necessarily a surprise, based on some initial application practices.

“The biggest issue is people using Provisia as a silver bullet for grass control and kicking residuals out of their program,” said Dr. Webster. “We need to still be using residual herbicides. Provisia is very effective, but farmers should be using Provisia herbicide to control weedy rice or red rice and using residuals to get ahead of other grass and broadleaf weeds.”

That thought was echoed by BD Fontenot, a crop consultant with Nutrien Ag Solutions in Elton, Louisiana, who added “start with a clean seed bed. Spray when weeds are small and actively growing, and then overlap with residual herbicides. That way, you are able to target the undesirable rice with Provisia. If other weed complexes are in the field, you are not going to get coverage, and you are going to have escapes.”

Knowing the history of the infestation in a particular field is beneficial when making decisions about follow-up applications. He also recommended using higher carrier volumes of 10-15 GPA by ground and by air to ensure good Provisia coverage and only tank mixing when weedy rice and grasses are small.

5. Considering crop rotation for success with Provisia rice. Do not plant in the year following Clearfield® rice or where an imidazolinone herbicide was used the previous year due to the risk of carryover damage from the herbicide. Do not plant Provisia rice after Provisia rice in the same field.

6. Being aggressive in fallow ground and in soybeans. Use tillage and Roundup® herbicide with residuals to increase the time between applications.

OTHER ELITE HORIZON AG VARIETIES FOR 2023

CLL16: A long grain Clearfield rice variety that has earned its reputation as “the complete package” for yield potential, quality and consistent performance . CLL16 contains the Pi-ta blast resistance gene and is rated moderately resistant to blast. It also contains the CRSP2.1 gene and is resistant to narrow brown leaf spot and moderately susceptible to Cercospora infection on the stem.

CLL17 : An early, long grain Clearfield rice variety with excellent yield potential and vigor. CLL17 should be planted early, as yields can decrease when it is planted outside of the recommended planting window. It is susceptible to lodging, especially with higher nitrogen levels — Horizon Ag recommends 90-130 units of nitrogen. CLL17 contains the Pi-ta blast resistance gene and is rated moderately resistant to blast.

Panel participants included Dr. Connor Webster, LSU Agcenter; Dr. Brad Guice, BASF; BD Fontenot, Nutrien Ag Solutions; and Michael Fruge, Louisiana rice farmer.

Weed management in 2023: What can we expect?

DR. WHITNEY BRIM-DEFOREST CALIFORNIA Cooperative Extension Rice Advisor University of California, Davis wbrimdeforest@ucanr.edu

Coming out of 2022, roughly half of all California rice fields were left fallowed last year. Others may have been fallowed for two seasons, and many of us have questions about what weed management will look like in 2023. While we do not have data on what a one- or two-year fallow does to all of our major weed species, we have some preliminary and anecdotal data that might lend some insight.

For small-seeded weeds such as smallflower umbrella sedge, redstem and ricefield bulrush, the fallow period will likely have no effect. A good anecdotal example is from a field in Davis that was planted for a long time in rice, followed by nothing being planted for more than 10 years. Once the field went back into rice, ricefield bulrush was widely distributed throughout the field, and readily emerged. Ricefield bulrush seeds have a thick seed coat, making it easy for them to survive in the soil for a long period of time, and they have a high level of dormancy, increasing their persistence.

In an unpublished overwintering experiment with smallflower umbrella sedge to determine if decomposition occurred over the winter in flooded conditions, the smallflower seeds did not decompose. Seeds of smallflower umbrella sedge are also found in the 1,000s per square foot of soil, so once established, they are difficult to get rid of.

For larger-seeded weeds including watergrass, a fallow may have an impact, but that impact will likely only be on those weed

seeds near the surface of the soil. This is where they may decompose and are at increased chance of predation.

In a preliminary study conducted last year, we found that in fields where tillage occurred in the spring post-fallow, watergrass emerged as seeds were brought up from deeper in the soil profile, where they would have remained dormant if tillage did not occur. In fields that were no-till in the spring, in at least one instance, the watergrass did not emerge at the same rate as in the tilled field. Similar results were seen with arrowhead, a perennial aquatic species. The effect of the tillage was to bring up the seeds from deeper in the soil profile, increasing emergence in the tilled area of the field.

At this time, no anecdotal or preliminary data exists for sprangletop. However, due to the small seed size and high dormancy period, it is likely that sprangletop would not be greatly affected by a fallow period and would emerge as normal.

Preliminary data from grower fields that were monitored over three years shows a reduction in weedy rice seed viability in the top 12 inches of soil. However, these fields have not been planted back into rice, so it is unknown whether the reduction of viable seed in the soil translated to reduced emergence.

To summarize, it is unlikely the one- to two-year fallows will cause a great reduction in weed emergence, especially for small-seeded species. For larger-seeded species, there may be an impact, which can be increased by use of zero- or reduced tillage in the spring following a fallow period.

Residuals on repeat

DR. JARROD HARDKE ARKANSAS Professor/Rice Extension Agronomist

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

jhardke@uada.edu

Spend money early to save money later — the end.

The truth is that our best money spent each season, and cheapest overall investment, is in our preemergence (PRE) herbicides. This turns out to be true every year. Our goal is to start clean with a good burndown at planting combined with a good PRE program to keep it clean.

Speaking of a good burndown — when in doubt, include a burndown with your at-planting PRE herbicide. Rarely will you regret having run some glyphosate in this situation, but you’ll often regret not doing it.

If we can accomplish field preparation prior to planting time, then ideally, we’ll be able to plant into a stale seedbed situation. This gives us the best chance for an optimum, uniform rice stand, and it improves our ability to minimize weed emergence and compete with the weeds that do emerge.

Command, Prowl and Bolero are our best friends in terms of keeping grass jailbreaks at bay. Facet is another one that may be a little less effective these days as a post-emergence option for grass

Aggressive watergrass challenges California growers and researchers who seek effective control programs.

but is still an excellent PRE option. While Prowl and Bolero need to be used no earlier than delayed PRE, getting some combination of all these products out early and overlapping them will minimize more costly post-emergence applications later.

Speaking of PREs, League is another good option to include early to work on some of our broadleaves and yellow nutsedge. Sharpen as a PRE is going to give us some annual sedge control along with pigweed and other broadleaves. If planting early in cool conditions well before these weeds typically emerge, it may have less benefit.

Rotation of weed control technologies (and crops!) continues to be an emphasis. While we now have Provisia / MaxAce to be able to rotate with our conventional rice and Clearfield / FullPage options, we have to properly rotate to steward these technologies. Including soybean in rotation will be increasingly critical.

New technologies and products are slow to arrive, if on the way at all. So don’t pin your hopes on something new coming along to fix problems.

Post-emergence applications are unavoidable, but focusing on overlapping PRE applications will keep things more cost-effective. Stay clean early and get to flood quickly to minimize weed issues and the herbicide budget in 2023.

Weed control strategies for 2023

DR. JUSTIN CHLAPECKA MISSOURI Assistant Research Professor/ Rice Extension Specialist University of Missouri jchlapecka@missouri.edu

As meeting season is finally winding down, many of us are just a few weeks away from putting a drill into the field. As we move into Plant ‘23, a good portion of ground is ready to go after the dry fall season. While planting into

a stale seedbed will be a great option in that scenario, we must think more about burndown applications in the absence of spring tillage. Some may have already applied a burndown, but starting clean is essential to having a clean rice field come August.

My idea has always been to get a good burndown at planting, but you must be absolutely sure that what you apply is going to work, as we likely won’t get a second chance if the rice emerges very quickly. Clomazone is an essential preemergence application at planting for barnyardgrass and most other grasses that we will contend with during the season. We routinely see the best weed control where pre-emerge products are overlapped at a bare minimum of 21 days apart. In fact, somewhere around the two to twoand-a-half week time frame is ideal for overlapping residuals in a furrow-irrigated rice system.

The best way to kill grass in a rice crop is to never see it above the soil surface. Once we see grass in the field, we are already behind the eight ball. While there are generally less resistance issues in Missouri than further south, we do have our fair share of problems where continuous rice has been grown.

If you suspect herbicide resistance is an issue, imazethapyr-tolerant rice is a great tool for barnyardgrass and weedy rice control. In some areas, however, resistance has developed to imazethapyr, but quizalofop-tolerant rice could be another tool in the toolbelt. Yield has lagged since this technology was released, but the newer cultivars have shown tremendous improvement and there are more in the pipeline.

In related news, we will greatly miss having Jim Heiser as our weed scientist in the Bootheel. As we try to fill that gap, if you have any rice questions now or in-season, you can contact us via e-mail at jchlapecka@missouri.edu. As always, eat MO rice!

Dr. Jarrod Hardke says, “Our goal is to start clean with a good burndown at planting combined with a good PRE program to keep it clean.”

Dr. Justin Chlapecka says, “The best way to kill grass in a rice crop is to never see it above the soil surface. Once we see grass in the field, we are already behind the eight ball.”

DR. RONNIE LEVY

Early weed control

DR. RONNIE LEVY LOUISIANA Extension Rice Specialist Louisiana State University RLevy@agcenter.lsu.edu

Start Clean! Rice weed control is best accomplished by using a combination of cultural, mechanical and chemical management practices. Relying on a single control practice seldom provides adequate weed management.

e most important factor in herbicide use is the selection of a proper herbicide. Although weeds vary in their ability to compete with rice, most elds contain a complex of weeds that will reduce yield and quality if an appropriate weed management strategy is not implemented. Several herbicides are available for use as a burndown choice, and most options are applied based around glyphosate. Price is o en factored in when selecting a burndown herbicide program, but in many cases, the cheapest option may not be the best for a given situation. Starting with a clean rice eld helps to stay ahead of the problem.

Pre-emergence herbicide applications are used in many drill-seeded rice elds. Immediately a er rice is planted, a herbicide is applied to the soil surface. Within a 24- to 48-hour period a er herbicide application, adequate rainfall (one inch or more) must occur, or the eld must be ushed for herbicide activation. Many producers attempt to avoid ushing by waiting on rainfall to save money; however, to receive optimum bene t from the herbicide, it must be activated by moisture. E cacy is reduced the longer a herbicide remains on the soil surface without activation. Poor weed control is a common side e ect of waiting for rainfall because weeds continue to grow during the waiting period.

A preemergence application can allow a rice crop to emerge

and gain a competitive advantage on many weeds present in each eld. Producers should consider using a preemergence application allowing for fewer post-emergence applications during the long growing season. If the history of weed pressure in a rice eld is known, selecting which elds are most likely to bene t from a preemergence program can reduce weed control cost. Some herbicides cannot be applied until a er rice seed has begun geminating. Always check the label.

Delayed preemergence herbicide applications are primarily, if not exclusively, used in a drill-seeded rice production system. e rice crop is planted, and four to seven days a er planting, the herbicide is applied. is delay a er planting allows the rice seed to begin the germination process, allowing the young seedling to get an initial growth advantage prior to herbicide application. Some herbicides cannot be applied until a er rice seed has begun germinating. Always check the label.

Early, small weed control is the answer to clean elds and preventing the development of resistant weeds. Starting early will give your rice crop a competitive edge and hopefully prevent having to make a salvage application.

PHOTOS BY DR. RONNIE LEVY

It’s why farmers choose RiceTec, America’s most widely grown long-grain rice. For 30 years, farmers have trusted in RiceTec’s superior genetics, excellent herbicide tolerance and superior disease package to deliver consistently higher yields, season after season.* Learn more at RiceTec.com.

Biologicals industry: Corteva acquires Stoller and Symborg

In a recent press release, Corteva confirmed it has closed the acquisitions of Symborg, an expert in microbiological technologies based in Murcia, Spain; and Stoller, one of the largest independent companies in the biologicals industry, based in Houston, Texas.

“These acquisitions illustrate Corteva’s commitment to providing farmers with sustainable solutions that bring value and productivity to the farm,” said Chuck Magro, CEO, Corteva Agriscience. “We are pleased to officially welcome Symborg and Stoller employees to Corteva. We believe their knowledge and expertise, combined with Corteva’s innovations capabilities, will come together to form a leading biologicals business ready to accelerate and grow with the rapidly expanding biologicals market.”

Corteva first collaborated with Symborg to scale up and bring farmers Utrisha N and BlueN nutrient efficiency optimizers under a distribution agreement between the two companies. Symborg possesses a diversified portfolio, emerging biocontrol pipeline, and skilled employees with robust technical knowledge and demand generation expertise.

Stoller brings a strong track record of success with more than 50 years experience in more than 60 countries. The company’s technical expertise and exceptional commercial model built on sharing knowledge have earned it a trusted reputation throughout the biologicals industry.

The biologicals market is expected to be the fastest-growing crop protection segment in the industry, representing 25% of the overall market by 2035.

Three inducted into Louisiana Ag Hall of Distinction

Three individuals who have spent their careers improving agriculture in Louisiana are the newest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction.

The inductees are rice and crawfish farmer Gerard Frey, of Iota; Steve Linscombe, longtime LSU AgCenter rice breeder and current director of the USA Rice Federation Leadership Development Program, who currently resides in Mountain Home, Texas; and Jackie Theriot, a

sugarcane farmer and advocate for the sugarcane industry from St. Martinville.

A joint effort of the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Radio Network, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction honors individuals who have made significant contributions to agriculture or agriculture-related industries.

Frey’s first rice crop on his own was during his senior year in high school, and he has been raising rice ever since for 44 consecutive years. Like many rice farmers in the area, Frey also raises crawfish. Frey’s wife, Dana, convinced him to build a crawfish processing facility because they had access to a fresh-caught product. She is now responsible for running the entire crawfish operation, which also processes alligator throughout the year.

Linscombe served nearly 30 years as the rice breeder at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in Crowley. During his tenure, 33 new rice varieties were released. One of the most significant advancements came with the development of the Clearfield varieties. The rice industry now had

a new way to attack red rice, a weed that is a very close relative to commercial rice. It revolutionized how rice producers could now cultivate and grow their crops.

Upon retirement from the AgCenter in 2017, he moved to Texas and became heavily involved with The Rice Foundation, which is the education arm of the U.S. rice industry. He continues to work on sustainability issues and with rice breeders across the globe to improve rice quality.

Theriot was born in Catahoula in St. Martin Parish, the son of a sugarcane farmer. He graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1962 with an agronomy degree.

In 1968, Theriot returned home to raise sugarcane. Fifteen years later, he became the general manager of the Breaux Bridge Sugar Cooperative. In 1985, he became a member of the American Sugar Cane League Board of Directors as a processor member.

For more information regarding the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction event, contact Robyn Dow with the Louisiana Radio Network at 225-291-2727 or office@louisianaradionetwork.com.

Keith Shelton honored as 2022 Rice Consultant of the Year

Keith Shelton, the 2022 Rice Consultant of the Year, was honored at an awards reception at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Shelton owns and operates Shelton Consulting Service Inc. in Lonoke, Arkansas. He is pictured with Amy Beth Dowdy, 2020 Rice Consultant of the Year.

In memory: Alex Balafoutis

As reported in The Daily, USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Alex Balafoutis who passed away Feb. 26.

“The U.S. rice industry has lost a beloved friend and servant far too early in life,” said Chris Crutchfield, president & CEO of American Commodity Company. “For those who knew him well, Alex was a person who could always be counted on in time of need — whether it be business or personal.”

Alex started his career in the rice industry in California more than 40 years ago at Pacific International Rice Mills. He worked at PGP International for 35 years before moving to Western Foods in 2019.

A dedicated advocate for the U.S. rice industry, Alex served on numerous USA Rice and California Rice Commission boards and committees promoting U.S.-origin rice and rice products all over the globe.

He was a past chair of the USA Rice Millers’ Association, and also led the USA Rice Asia Technical Working Group for the last two decades where he was instrumental in opening the Japanese rice market to U.S. imports.

Alex was known by family, friends and colleagues as a person who could always have a good time and put a smile on your face. He was a rabid fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Sacramento Kings, and was looking forward to watching his Kings make the playoffs this year.

Texas A&M AgriLife specialists receive water awards

Two Texas A&M AgriLife Extension service specialists received awards from the Universities Council on Water Resources, UCOWR, for education, outreach and resource management.

Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension state soil specialist, Bryan-College Station, received the Mid-Career Award for Extension/Outreach/Engagement, while Michael Kuitu, AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator for the Texas Watershed Steward program, received the Education and Public Service Award.

UCOWR was founded in 1964 and is a

consortium of academic institutions and affiliates invested in water resources research, education and outreach.

“We are proud to have two of our AgriLife Extension faculty receive these prestigious awards,” said David Baltensperger, Ph.D., head of the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station. “These awards emphasize the work done across Texas and abroad to protect and enrich soils and nutrients through public education and outreach.”

Mowrer’s efforts span statewide and nationally, working with clientele across Texas on issues related to soil nutrient and water resource management.

Mowrer works to help agricultural producers adopt best practices in soil, fertilizer and animal waste management to steward nutrient resources appropriately. He works with farmers to improve soil function and to capture rainfall, but Mowrer said he also works with urban clientele to improve the management of fertilizers on lawns and gardens.

“By increasing the adoption of these practices, all Texans can take pride in the restoration of clean water resources across the state,” he said.

Most notably, prior to coming to Texas, Mowrer was also credited with providing information and water testing resources to assist Georgia residents with improving the quality of water in their community that has been linked to cancer.

“It is absolutely impossible to determine how many lives were saved and are still being saved because of Jake’s testing and providing information to the necessary government agencies and the public,” wrote Janet McMahan in her support letter. “My son Ben lived an extra four years that he

would not have lived if he had kept drinking our water.”

“It’s an honor to receive this recognition and to help citizens across the country in providing them with education and resources about soil and water management,” Mowrer said.

Kuitu is a licensed professional geoscientist in Texas, a certified floodplain manager and holds two degrees and a graduate certificate from Texas A&M University: master of water management and hydrologic science, bachelor of environmental geoscience and graduate certificate in business.

His career has centered on water resource/water quality management and remediation, including geoscientific review of contaminated soil and groundwater remediation cases overseen by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The Texas Watershed Steward program is a non-point source pollution mitigation education program funded by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. EPA.

As coordinator of the program, Kuitu is responsible for facilitating and educating stakeholder groups to participate in the development of watershed protection plans and water resource restoration and protection projections throughout Texas.

“I am honored to have been selected for this award,” Kuitu said. “My colleagues, both past and present, along with AgriLife Extension and Jake as my supervisor, have enabled me the opportunities to exercise the attributes that led to this award. I could not have done it without them. They are also very deserving of equal recognition.”

Alex Balafoutis

Michael Kuitu

Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., received the MidCareer Award for Extension/ Outreach/ Engagement.

Rice Technical Working Group

Arkansan honored with prestigious rice award.

By Ryan McGeeney

Anational body of rice researchers has awarded the Distinguished Service Award to Bob Scott, senior associate vice president – Extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

In his nominating letter, Je Edwards, Division of Agriculture department chair for Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, said Scott “has been a strong supporter of the rice industry throughout his career and is highly deserving of this honor.”

Scott has been with the Division of Agriculture for more than two decades. After completing his Ph.D. in weed science at Mississippi State University in 1997 and working in the private sector for ve years, Scott worked as an Extension weed specialist for the Division of Agriculture from 2002-2018. During the nal ve years, he also served as director of both the Lonoke Extension Center and the Newport Extension Center. From 2018-2020, Scott served as director of the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart. In 2020, he was named senior associate vice president for agriculture – Extension.

‘Surprised and honored’

Scott received the award during the opening hours of the Rice Technical Working Group’s rst meeting in three years — and its rst meeting in Arkansas, the nation’s No. 1 rice-producing state — in more than a decade. e meeting brought together more than 300 researchers and rice industry professionals from several states and countries. According to its website, the group meets every other year to share research, plan, exchange information and more.

Scott said the award was unexpected, but welcome.

“I was surprised and honored by this award,” Scott said. “I have been away from RTWG for a couple of years, and it was good to see everyone again and receive this

honor. When it comes down to it, rice is really a specialty crop, due to its limited acres compared to other crops in the United States, so rice research and Extension is a small world. It’s always nice to be honored by your peers.”

Award criteria

e 2023 meeting marks the group’s 39th biennial meeting. Although the group has historically met on even-numbered years, the decision was made in 2020 to postpone the next meeting by three years, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, the group will now meet on odd-numbered years. e 2025 meeting is scheduled to be held in New Orleans.

Jarrod Hardke, Extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, presented Scott with the award. Hardke, who serves as secretary for the Rice Technical Working Group, said he and Scott have worked together since 2012, when Hardke rst began work at the Division of Agriculture.

Scott later led the search committee which ultimately hired Hardke for the position of Extension rice agronomist.

According to the Rice Technical Working Group’s website, the Distinguished Service Award may be presented to “individuals who have given distinguished, long-term service to the rice industry in areas of research, education, international agriculture, administration and industry rice technology.”

“Bob has worked in the eld, in research and worked in industry with BASF,” Hardke said. “He checks all the boxes.”

Ryan McGeeney is a communications specialist with the University of Arkansas. He may be reached at rmcgeeney@uada.edu.

Dr. Bob Scott, Senior Associate Vice President for Extension, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Rice Technical Working Group during the group’s biannual conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Dr. Jarrod Hardke, left, Extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, presented the award to Scott after Scott delivered the meeting’s opening address.

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

“[Bob Scott] has been a strong supporter of the rice industry throughout his career and is highly deserving of this honor.”