Rice Farming December 2022

Photo by Carroll Smith

TOMMY BUTTS, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Learning as I go: My first exposure to rice in 2022

Before I began this job, someone told me that rice is a “whole different kind of cat” when it comes to crop production. I grew up in a land full of cotton, interlaced with some corn, milo, soybeans and wheat, and I don’t believe I fully comprehended what that might mean until this past year.

Rice is different. It takes a different kind of irrigation system, and timing is crucial. There are so many elements to the crop, but in my ini tial findings and proliferation of new terms and groups associated with it, I learned how closeknit the rice industry is. I had many describe it more along the lines of a big family, and I can’t say I’ve found anything that contradicts that.

Cassidy Nemec Associate Editor

Across the board, it seemed like everyone I spoke with knew of nearly every person in the industry, both young and “expe rienced.” I’ve learned USA Rice plays a massive role for the present and future of rice throughout the U.S. and world. While keeping up with all the latest conserva tion and sustainability efforts and methods, USA Rice also has so many industry resources on their website. They are huge advocates for rice and want to prepare everyone else in the industry to be advocates as well.

The Rice Leadership Development program is one way they’re helping others gain insight into the country’s — and world’s — rice. There are numerous ways to get involved with this organization — if you already are, keep sharing with others!

This month’s Rice Farming discusses row rice as a consideration for those who have it as a viable option for their area. This was another lesson for me. Three spe cialists from three different states shared their wealth of knowledge in regard to the topic, and I found their perspectives to be fascinating.

I like to say a big aspect of growing is learning, and I can attest that I’ve grown through having such exposure to the rice industry these past several months. Whether it was a field day, a phone interview or a field visit, I took bits of infor mation from each that I was unaware of beforehand. While I am so far from being an expert in these matters, or anywhere remotely close to those I’ve spoken to in terms of rice knowledge, I’m honored I can bring the vast intelligence of so many to readers and that I get the opportunity to continue to learn more every day.

Cassidy

Send comments to: Editor, Rice Farming Magazine, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017 or email cnemec@onegrower.com.

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

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Recommended BMPs for the Provisia Rice System

CROWLEY, Louisiana – With the Provisia® Rice System threatened by weedy rice outcrosses in some areas, industry leaders and farmers are coming together to implement strategies to steward and keep this important technology viable for years to come. Recently, ag retailers from the Coastal rice production region packed the Acadia Parish Extension Office auditorium in Crowley, Louisiana, to hear the Provisia Working Group’s recommendations for best management practices (BMPs) for limiting the development of weedy rice outcrosses to the ACCase-inhibiting herbicide technology.

“The Provisia Rice System is the only thing we have right now for controlling weedy rice that has outcrossed with Clearfield® rice,” said Dr. Connor Webster, weed scientist at the LSU AgCenter. “If someone brought a new technology forward today, it would take several years before it could be commercially available. That’s why it is so important that we maintain this effective tool and prevent losing its effectiveness at the rate we are today.”

Best Management Practices

1. Use residual herbicides.

Provisia Working Group was organized earlier this year after weedy rice outcrossing was reported in at least 15 instances in Provisia rice in Louisiana. It’s made up of representatives from Horizon Ag, BASF, rice

Command®, Prowl® and Facet® 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. Be cautious of tank mixing herbicides that might lead to antagonism with your Provisia application.

Dr. Connor Webster, weed scientist at the LSU AgCenter, recommends having at least one application of Provisia alone, or two applications alone in a three-pass system. The size and population of weedy rice should always dictate follow-up applications.

3. Know which herbicides to mix – and which not to mix.

ALS-inhibiting herbicides can antagonize Provisia, although a second Provisia 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 activity, so propanil mixtures should be avoided. Basagran® and Sharpen herbicides antagonized Provisia activity at 14 days after treatment but were not antagonistic at 28 days.

4. Be diligent and clean 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.

5. Consider 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.

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

BASF Provisia Herbicide Recommendations

• Use only Provisia herbicide in Provisia rice.

• Start clean, with burndown and/or tillage.

• Let the size and population of weedy rice dictate follow-up applications.

• Use residuals like grass and broadleaf herbicides for broad-spectrum control.

• Do not mix Provisia with herbicides that have the potential to be antagonistic.

• Apply to actively growing grasses, red rice and volunteer rice.

• Make at least two (but no more than three) Provisia herbicide applications no later than panicle initiation.

• Use proper carrier volumes of 10-15 GPA by ground and by air.

• Only mix when weedy rice and grasses are small.

• Clean equipment/combines.

• Harvest fields with weedy rice last.

Stewardship In Crawfish Production

• Don’t allow Provisia rice to go to seed in crawfish production.

• Don’t allow Provisia rice to go to seed in a non-rice year, including fallow or crawfish fields.

• Control weedy rice and red rice at pond edges with glyphosate or other chemical or cultural methods.

• Avoid using Provisia rice for green rice/crawfish forage production.

The

industry retail, and Louisiana university and extension leaders.

By Betsy Ward President and CEO USA Rice

2022, move along already

Another calendar year is coming to a close, and while it wasn’t the worst year in recent memory, I’m certain ly fine to turn the calendar page.

From where I sit, just outside our nation’s capital, it felt like I was watching the Clint Eastwood movie, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”

The Ugly

The Ugly was, of course, the challenges facing the rice industry this year. I don’t have to tell you about the out-of-control input costs that pushed so many in agriculture, specifi cally rice, to an unprofitable year.

The Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University released an economic study in May that showed a $442 per acre loss in net cash farm income from 2021 to 2022 for rice farms, with as many as two-thirds ex pected to post a loss this year, which in the credit-heavy farm economy, is not sustain able.

We made this the central focus of our in teractions with the government and media — even if, and especially if, they didn’t ask about it. I don’t think any government official we spoke with, at any level, on any topic, left that conversation without being well aware of the existen tial threat we see before the U.S. rice industry. The same was true with our media contacts, whether we were talking about unrest in Haiti or the latest TikTok recipe trends.

And we didn’t stop there. Back in February, we made a clear and justi fiable request for assistance for rice farmers to USDA, and we are working with our part ners in Congress to continue to press for this much-needed support as we turn to the 2023 crop year.

Input costs were not the only factor affect ing rice farmers in 2022. Unrelenting weather issues continue to challenge the industry. From the historic drought in California that sidelined 50% of their rice acres and threatens the long-term viability of so many commu nities, to the record-low water levels on the Mississippi River increasing transportation

costs, and from flooding in parts of the Delta that interfered with harvest to a late frost in Louisiana that hurt ratoon crops. All factors beyond our control but certainly impactful in an already tough year.

The Bad

The Bad remains India. The world’s largest exporter of rice continues to thumb its nose at trade conventions. By their own admission, they over subsidize their rice industry and then dump rice on the world market, manip ulating global prices and making it that much harder for U.S. rice farmers, who follow the rules, to make a living.

India’s bad behavior is another one of the topics we constantly highlight with govern ment officials and the media. The U.S. government has complained about India to the World Trade Organization, and it’s telling that they’re not alone. The U.S. was joined by eight other member countries in voicing concerns. We continue to press the Biden Administration to do more and look to 2023 for real progress bringing India to account for their blatant disregard for rules.

The Good

But I did promise you some Good.

Rice was one of the most successful ap plicants in the Biden Administration’s new Climate Smart Commodity program. At least seven rice projects were funded at more than $150 million, with the USA Rice-Ducks Un limited-National Black Growers Council proposal receiving the highest score from USDA and a commitment of $80 million for growers over five years.

We’ve also seen improvement in U.S. grain quality and varieties and have increased our direct dialogue with customers. From hosting reverse trade missions here to our series of Quality Symposiums that are a feature at the USA Rice Outlook Conference, we are seeing positive results from these efforts.

Thank you for continuing to grow food that feeds the world and for your commit ment to making U.S.-grown rice a premium, climate-friendly product that we can proudly promote to all of our customers. Our job is to tell your story and improve conditions for you and your families.

David Gairhan (from left), Jim Whitaker, Jessica Whitaker, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Betsy Ward, PJ Haynie, Jeff Rutledge and Deborah Willenborg at the Climate Smart Announcement.

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Row rice revelations

Discovering furrow-irrigated rice as an industry player.

By Cassidy Nemec Associate Editor

Row rice has made strides over the past few years as growers have learned more about this different method of growing rice. Referred to interchange ably as furrow-irrigated rice, row rice is grown similarly to other row crops like soybeans or corn, as it uses poly-pipe irrigation rather than levee utilization. Specialists in some of the states that grow the majority of rice in the United States speak to some of the applications and discover ies of furrow-irrigated rice.

Benefits of furrow-irrigated rice production

Dr. Jarrod Hardke, a professor and Extension rice agronomist at the University of Arkansas, said row rice allows for the omission of building and tearing down levees and for the ability to apply more ground applications versus air. He sug gested a benefit to row rice is cost.

“Levees are costly to construct and remove, require addi tional seed, and require that most fertilizer and chemicals be

applied aerially.”

Dr. Hunter Bowman, an assistant professor and state rice specialist at Mississippi State University, said the ability to easily incorporate rice into a traditional row crop rotation with current equipment and labor is a major plus.

“Levee or paddy rice is typically grown in fields on land formed for rice production. These fields have slight to a ze ro-grade, allowing for minimal levees, which can often be straight levees. When planting rice on a field, not land formed with rice production in mind, often multiple contour levees are required. Flooding rice with contour levees can be labor inten sive, and row rice helps reduce that labor cost. Row rice also allows a grower to rotate from soybeans to rice with less tractor trips across a field between the two crops,” Bowman said.

Dr. Ronnie Levy, a state rice specialist at LSU AgCenter, said row rice gives the grower an opportunity to switch crops based on the value of each crop. He said this is much more of a favorable economic venture in North Louisiana versus

South Louisiana where they grow crawfish and benefit more from levee-based systems.

Greenhouse gas emission reductions that come from alternate wetting and drying is a big advantage. There were benefits avail able through government programs that made row rice more economically viable to growers.

Cost of fertilizer was a big disadvantage for row rice this past year. Levy pointed out that, while soybeans can fix their own ni trogen, “we have to supply all the nitrogen for rice.”

The evolution of row rice operations

Though row rice would still need to be irrigated more frequently than other row crops, Hardke said growers are starting to get more comfortable with the idea of rice tolerating a flood but not requiring it. He suggested most first-time, row rice farmers tend to overwater the crop, but the 2022 drought saw the reverse with healthy-looking rice not receiving enough water.

“Soil type and slope both considerably change our options for row rice. On precision-leveled fields, we don’t have to construct beds, but instead, making water furrows is sufficient. However, on contour fields where side-slope is present, we still need to con struct beds to keep water in the furrows.  The best nitrogen strategies continue to be those that divide nitrogen up into multiple different applications (as opposed to largely relying on one big application in flooded rice),” Hardke concluded.

Bowman pointed out that row rice is not a new concept as it had been attempted in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“The difference in then and now is that we have cultivars with better disease packages, we are more efficient with fertilizer, and we have done extensive work with irrigation timings in row rice,” he said.

After observing furrow-irrigated rice in Louisiana for a consid erable amount of time, Levy said demand input costs have been a major factor in the evolution of furrow-irrigated rice in North Louisiana.

“It costs probably two to three times as much to plant an acre of rice versus an acre of soybeans,” so throwing in the added input costs doesn’t tend to help.

Row rice as a viable option for the future

Hardke spoke more to row rice’s application in Arkansas.

“Rotation between rice and other crops is simplified, and the economics improve due to reduced tillage passes.  We can re-use old beds among rotational crops if the opportunity presents to see even greater efficiency,” he said.

While South Louisiana has different water-holding properties in soil, North Louisiana already has the rows that make row rice a viable option for growers.

Levy said row rice also enables the northern part of the state to introduce different herbicide programs to assist in their rotation. This can, in turn, solve problems in their other crops as well.

In Arkansas, Hardke sees row rice encompassing no more than 30% of the state’s acres anytime soon given current cultivars and practices. But he thinks the variables shown to growers over the past few years can still prove there are areas where row rice makes “a great deal of sense.”

“Row rice water use can be similar to, or even less than, flood rice systems. However, the timing of demand can be a notable issue. This is one of the standout factors making shifting to this

practice more difficult. In areas where pumping stations are de voted to only a field or two, it is easy to move water back and forth. However, where pumping stations are tied into systems and not as easily swapped, things get complicated, and timings get missed.”

Hardke, after discussing the potential for yield penalties with incorrect irrigation timing, suggested row rice could still be viable where it is better-suited and the timing works out.

“I think we’ll continue to gradually increase as we learn more and improve, but for many acres flooded rice is still the more con sistent practice,” he said.

Bowman sees a similar future for row rice in Mississippi.

“If we see an increase in row rice acres, it will be those growers who’ve traditionally grown other row crops and want to get into the rice market. I always say we have a strong group of rice grow ers in Mississippi who are good at what they do, and I don’t foresee them changing their operations. Acres will increase as we contin ue researching and gaining knowledge of row rice,” he concluded.

There may be a slight increase of row rice acres in North Louisi ana, according to Levy, due to economic incentive programs. This may also come with a potential shift into South Louisiana if those incentives remain.

He said economic and environmental returns are what play most heavily into the decision-making process for furrow-irrigat ed rice.

Dr. Ronnie Levy, a state rice specialist at LSU AgCenter, said row rice gives the grower an opportunity to switch crops based on the value of each crop.

DR. RONNIE LEVY

Unwelcome wild thing

By Olivia McClure

From rooting up crops to destroying farm infrastructure, Louisiana’s growing population of feral hogs causes $91.1 million in damage to agricultural and timber lands each year, according to a newly released LSU AgCenter estimate.

Based on responses to a 2021 survey, the study found that hog damage costs land owners $66.2 million in crop losses and $24.9 million in other expenses annually. More than 950 people completed the sur vey, representing nearly 660,000 acres of crop fields, pastures and woods.

The hogs cause a myriad of problems to Louisiana agriculture, an industry worth about $12 billion annually. They root up, wallow in and trample crops, tree seed lings and wildlife food plots. They also are known to wreak havoc on pastures, drains, levees, fences and waterways.

“Feral swine continue to be a growing problem to farmers, ranchers, foresters and landowners in many areas of the U.S. and are considered to be one of the most damaging invasive species in existence,” wrote study authors Michael Salassi, asso ciate vice president and program leader for plant and animal sciences; Melissa Cater, director of the Northeast Region; and Glen Gentry, director of the Doyle Chambers Central Research Station and the Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station.

Where did they come from?

Feral hogs have been part of the American landscape since the 1500s, when early explorers imported swine as a food source. Free-range livestock management practic es and escapes from enclosures led to the first feral hog populations taking hold.

In the 1900s, the Eurasian wild boar was introduced to some states for sport hunt ing. Modern feral swine are a combination of escaped domestic pigs, wild boars and hybrids of the two.

How high are the numbers?

Found in all 64 parishes of Louisiana and

Today, feral swine are a combination of escaped domestic pigs, wild boars and hybrids of the two.

at least 34 other states, feral hog populations have exploded in recent decades. In 1982, an estimated 2.4 million feral hogs lived in the United States. Today, experts believe that figure could be as high as 9 million.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates between 700,000 and 900,000 of the animals live in the state. Many of the AgCenter survey respondents said they feel the number of hogs has grown on their properties in the past few years.

Feral hogs multiply quickly, with sows able to have two litters of five to six pig lets per year. They have few natural predators and can thrive in almost any habitat, whether it be a tidal marsh or a hardwood forest. Their rapid reproduction and resil ience make population control difficult.

“Statisticians have estimated that ap proximately 70% to 75% of the population must be harvested to control feral swine numbers,” the authors wrote. “In Louisi ana, hunters harvest less than half, so populations continue to grow.”

Crop losses and other damage

The study indicates annual production losses were greatest for sugarcane, rice, corn, hay, soybeans and timber. Those

losses ranged from $6.9 million for timber to $14.8 million for sugarcane.

About a quarter of the 952 respondents reported damage to pastures, something the study leaders estimate to cost $5.4 mil lion statewide annually.

Some other loss estimates of interest include replanting damaged crop fields at $5.6 million, damage to drains and levees at $4.3 million and redisking damaged fields at $2.3 million.

Nearly 70% of survey respondents said feral swine had interfered in some way with their farming operations in the past year. And a majority expressed concern for the safety of themselves and their families, pets and livestock.

“Although feral swine generally prefer less interaction with humans, their rapidly expanding population and constant search for food sources is causing increasing in teractions with producers and foresters on agricultural lands,” the authors wrote.

To view a full report on the study’s find ings, visit https://bit.ly/3SxA1hw.

Olivia McClure is an associate communications specialist at LSU AgCenter. She may be reached at omcclure@agcenter.lsu.com.

Feral hogs cost Louisiana farmers $91 million annually.

RICE AWARDS

Horizon Ag, Rice Farming and USA Rice are proud to bring you the recipients of the 2022 Rice Awards. The program highlights three honorees for their contributions to the success of the U.S. rice industry through the Rice Farmer of the Year, the Rice Industry Award and the Rice Lifetime Achievement Award.

PHOTO BY MARVIN COCHRAN

Paul O. Johnson

RICE FARMER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Paul O. Johnson grew up in Southwest Louisiana, surrounded by rice elds, waterfowl and people who love the lifestyle as much as he does. roughout high school and college, he worked for his older brother, Jim Johnson. When a small farm became available, Jim told Paul it was time for him to get started on his own.

Although he had no collateral or credit, Paul went to a local bank with his budget and business plan in hand, and the bank supported him. e young farmer planted his rst crop in 1996, then picked up a larger piece of land and farmed about 450 acres his second year and continued to grow his operation from there.

John K. Saichuk, Ph.D., retired Louisiana rice specialist, said, “I came to respect Paul and his family for their knowledge, integrity and devotion to rice farming. ey farm in extreme southern Louisiana in an environment where rice diseases are a constant problem, hurricanes have introduced salt water and the low-lying areas require special skills to grow rice.”

He also has utilized the Provisia rice technology.

Steve Linscombe, Ph.D., LSU AgCenter rice breeder emeritus, said, “Paul has become the premier producer of Jazzman rice in Southwest Louisiana and does an outstanding job in producing a ratoon crop. In addition, Paul in as excellent steward of the land and does a stellar job of waterfowl habitat creation.”

In the early years of his career, Paul had experience on a large farm guiding duck and goose hunting and growing rice on it as well. When property owner Tom Henning, along with his son, Grant, established a guide service and hunting lodge on several thousand acres near ornwell, Louisiana, he was looking for someone who could operate the rice farm with an emphasis on creating the best environment for waterfowl. Paul’s background in working with the two together made him the perfect candidate.

“Today, we look for ways to make the rice as productive as it can be, but we also manage about 8,500 acres for waterfowl,” Paul said. “We are trying to make the land more e cient to accomplish both of those tasks.

“ is may involve irrigation, land leveling, putting in water control structures or updating pumps. We do whatever it takes to be more e cient and bene t both the rice and the waterfowl.”

Kyle Soileau, rice stewardship coordinator for Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice said, “When it comes to management of our natural resources and wildlife, Paul Johnson leads the pack. He is a devout family man who shares with his children his enthusiasm for growing rice and improving wildlife habitat.”

When asked what he enjoys most about his life as a Louisiana rice farmer, Paul quickly replied, “ e people, and speci cally, my family. Our lives revolve around rice. I’ve have rented a small, 70-acre farm for my oldest three boys where they can grow some rice and craw sh a little bit by themselves as well. ey do the majority of the work and learn what it is to handle money.

For most of his career, Paul grew rice in Cameron Parish and now farms in southern Je Davis Parish where rotation options include rice, craw sh and cattle.

“I was planting rice and not rotating with anything else,” he said. “In 2012, I planted my rst Jazzman rice as a specialty crop — an option to diversify within rice. e 2022 season was my largest Jazzman crop year when I grew about 1,250 acres of CLJ01. I like being able to contract the rice before I ever put a seed in the ground.”

e bulk of Paul’s Jazzman goes to Supreme Rice Mill, and the rest is processed at Falcon Rice Mill, both of which are in Crowley, Louisiana.

“In addition to my brother and my nephew, James Angelle, I also have good friends who are fellow farmers that I talk to on a daily basis. I also enjoy the relationships I’ve made within the industry, including the folks at Supreme Rice Mill, Falcon Rice Mill and the people I met while participating in the Rice Leadership Development Program. is experience really opened my eyes to the rice industry outside of my immediate area.”

In recognition of his rice production skills, dedication to creating viable wildlife habitat, and his role as a Christian family man, we are proud to name Paul O. Johnson as the 2022 Rice Farmer of the Year.

Paul Johnson pictured with his wife, Jessa, and sons (left to right) Luke, Matthew, John and Jude.

PHOTOS BY BRUCE SCHULTZ

Paul O. Johnson

Welsh, Louisiana

•President and board member of Louisiana Rice Growers Association.

•Past president and board member of Jeff Davis Rice Growers Association.

•Vice chair, Rice Promotion Committee.

•USA Rice board member, Communications and Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee.

•Jeff Davis Soil Conservation Committee board member.

•Jeff Davis Rice Advisory Committee.

•Louisiana Rice Promotion board member.

•Thornwell Warehouse board member.

•Past board member of Jeff Davis Parish Farm Bureau.

•Member of Ducks Unlimited.

•Ducks Unlimited RCCP participant.

•CSP Conservation Stewardship.

•Rice Leadership Development Program graduate.

•Wife, Jessa Johnson. Four sons: Jude, 16; Luke, 12; John, 10; and Matthew, 3.

Dr. Yeshi Wamishe

RICE INDUSTRY AWARD

As a young girl, Dr. Yeshi Wamishe followed the tradition of other children in Ethiopia to help both parents in all aspects of the household. She weeded the farm, herded cows, sheep and goats, cut ax and took care of her mother’s vegetable plots in the backyard.

However, when she was a sophomore in college, her dad passed away before harvest, and her brothers weren’t close by to take care of it. As was expected, Wamishe went into the eld to nish the season. e next year, she had to farm potatoes to secure the survival of the family. is set of circumstances, she would say, was the turning point for her to learn the value of farming.

Wamishe went on to obtain degrees in biology and botany from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Later, an opportunity allowed her to travel to the United States where she completed a doctorate degree in plant science/ plant pathology at the University of Arkansas.

disease management options and provided Extension education.

Typically, proactive action is required to e ectively manage rice diseases. Wamishe always gave timely management options in person or in texts, phone calls, blogs and newsletter updates. She also o ered training at crop management conferences, scouting schools, rice colleges, winter and IPM meetings and virtual or in-person eld days.

Dr. Xueyan Sha, senior rice breeder and professor with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, noted, “Yeshi played a critical role in identifying that hydrogen sul de toxicity contributes to a common physiological disorder called autumn decline, developed an e ective management practice by collaborating with both agronomists and soil scientists and greatly alleviated the problem.”

Poinsett county agent Craig Allen added that Wamishe’s willingness to educate agents and growers is unparalleled in the industry, and Arkansas farmers have bene ted greatly from her dedication and tireless e orts.

Wamishe said prior to taking her current position, she had the opportunity to teach at junior colleges in Georgia and Mississippi.

“While on these jobs, however, I was searching for one that would take me back to the eld and connect me to farmers,” she said. “I often imagined the feeling of my dad who had to go before harvesting his crops.

“Working for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as an Extension plant pathologist took me back to the eld and connected me to producers as I wished. is has been like a dream come true for me to share the feelings of producers from planting to harvest.”

Perhaps Dr. Rick Cartwright, one of Wamishe’s mentors, best summed up the essence of her love for rice and the people who are involved with it.

When a post-doctoral research job in Stuttgart, Arkansas opened up, Wamishe worked under Dr. Yulin Jia, a USDA-ARS molecular plant pathologist, and learned the molecular aspects of rice diseases. During her two years in this position, she characterized 200 isolates of the sheath blight pathogen using both a conventional and a molecular approach. A few were found to be useful to detect small di erences among rice germplasm for resistance to sheath blight. In addition, Wamishe also identi ed two resistance genes against rice blast using a molecular approach.

Dr. Jia said Wamishe was very creative and made unique contributions that bene ted rice farmers. She delivered reliable and correct disease diagnosis, suggested e ective

“During her time in rice, Yeshi has been extremely dedicated to the crop, its production system and sustainability, to the overall industry and, more than anything else, to the people involved,” said Cartwright, retired rice pathologist and director, Cooperative Extension Service UA System Division of Agriculture.

“She never says no to anyone who needs help in rice . e truth is that I have never met a more dedicated, positive and technically pro cient eld scientist than Yeshi. She is such a great people person and bridge builder. It has been the highest privilege to call her friend and colleague.”

Because of her scienti c contributions to the U.S. rice industry and her determination to succeed and help others, we are proud to present Dr. Yeshi Wamishe with the 2022 Rice Industry Award.

Dr. Yeshi Wamishe (third from right) and her husband, Bantu Amare, (back row, fourth from left) pictured with their family.

Dr. Yeshi Wamishe

Stuttgart, Arkansas

• B.S., Biology, minor in Chemistry. M.S., Biology/ Botany, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

• Ph.D., Plant Science/Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas.

• Associate Professor, Extension Plant/Rice Pathologist, University of Arkansas.

• Member: American Phytopathological Society; Southern Division Phytopathological Society.

• Board, committee member: Arkansas Association of Cooperative Extension specialists.

• Member: National Association of County Agricultural Agents and Arkansas County Agricultural Agents Association.

• Member: Rice Technical Working Group.

• Member, Gamma Sigma Delta — Honor Society of Agriculture; Ag Development Foundation; and Arkansas Alumni.

• 2021 JW White Outstanding Rice Breeding team award.

• 2017 team award in Publication, Arkansas County Agricultural Agents Association.

• Team award: 2015 Outstanding Educational Materials, Arkansas Row Crops Blogs.

• Team Award: 2014 Outstanding Educational Materials, Rice Update Newsletter.

• Team award: 2012 Certificate of Excellence for outstanding educational materials — Websites, Blogs and Social Media.

• Husband, Bantu Amare. Three sons: Ambex Bantu (wife, Emnet Aklilu), Likeselam Bantu (wife, Zelalem Mekuria) and Tikurete Bantu (wife, Betty Fiseha). Four grandchildren: Mena Bantu, Elet Bantu, Zema Bantu and Lilly Bantu.

Dr. Karen Moldenhauer

RICE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Dr. Karen Moldenhauer grew up in the small town of Garnavillo, Iowa, where corn and hay elds are an integral part of the landscape. With an interest in art and an aptitude for science, she always knew she would pursue higher education and have a career.

Moldenhauer’s family had ingrained her with this mindset, and, for her mother, who had chosen to study diatetics, it was personal. After completing an undergraduate degree from Clark College in Dubuque, Iowa, the elder Moldenhauer was eager to learn more. Toward the end of World War II, Moldenhauer’s mother received a fellowship from the University of Iowa to work on a master’s degree in community nutrition. In 1947, when the war ended and her husband came home, the university realized she was married and rescinded the fellowship.

“Developing very high-yielding conventional and Cleareld varieties — LaGrue, Wells, Diamond, CLL16 and CLL18 — along with improving blast resistance in higher-yielding varieties have all bene ted rice producers,” she said.

Nathan McKinney, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, noted that at one point almost all the acreage planted in Arkansas originated in Moldenhauer’s program.

“Karen’s releases have become parent material for many second- and third-generation varieties, making an impact on multiple breeding programs, which extended her program’s in uence in the Mid-South,” he said. “ is was accomplished mostly by collaborative e ort and a teamwork approach. Karen has included geneticists, pathologists, agronomists and physiologists in the breeding process.

“She has sought the advice and input of farmers, rice millers and end users throughout her career. She has worked closely with our Extension specialists to ensure that every variety has a full complement of production recommendations prior to release. Karen is recognized by her peers in academia and industry as a tireless and innovative scientist. She has cultivated industry relationships that help the breeding program remain relevant.”

Although Moldenhauer is recognized as a champion for the Arkansas rice industry, her in uence has extended well beyond the state. During her career, she also was responsible for more than $10 million in extramural funding from a number of sources and produced numerous publications.

Consequently, Moldenhauer’s mother was unable to complete her master’s degree. However, this turn of events reinforced her desire to push her daughter, Karen, to get an advanced degree that no one could take away from her.

“Actually, I think this was pretty neat because in many German households, the girls are not often encouraged to pursue a higher education,” Moldenhauer said.

After nishing her doctorate in plant breeding at Iowa State University, Moldenhauer accepted a position as a rice breeder at the University of Arkansas. She said the inspiration to do her best work in this area was feeling she could make a di erence for the rice producers of Arkansas and the southern growing region. Moldenhauer also enjoyed the challenge to come up with higher-yielding varieties.

Dr. Kent McKenzie, retired director and plant breeder at the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation-Rice Experiment Station, noted, “It has been said that ‘plant breeding is about time, talent and numbers,’ and it is overwhelmingly clear from her resume that Dr. Karen Moldenhauer has covered those bases very well. She arrived without a rice background and under her leadership built the University of Arkansas rice breeding program to what it is today.”

Riceland’s Dan Kennedy said, “Dr. Karen Moldenhauer has been a cornerstone for rice research in Arkansas since 1982. Her peers and the rice industry have recognized her success in rice breeding, and in 2001, Riceland presented her with its Friend of the Farmer Award.”

In recognition of her determination to develop the next best rice variety, collaboration with all segments of the rice industry and resolution to always do her best in both her personal and professional life, it is an honor to name Dr. Karen Moldenhauer as the recipient of the Rice Lifetime Achievement Award.

Drs. Karen Moldenhauer and Xueyan Sha (far right) discuss the rice breeding program with individuals between field day stops at a UADA Rice Research and Extension Center field day near Stuttgart, Arkansas.

PHOTOS COURTESY DR. KAREN MOLDENHAUER

Dr. Karen Moldenhauer

Stuttgart, Arkansas

• B.S., Biology, Iowa State University. M.S., Plant Breeding, North Carolina State University.

• Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Iowa State University.

• Retired Interim Director Rice Research and Extension Center Professor and Rice Industry Chair for Variety Development.

• Served in many professional societies, including American Association for the Advancement of Science (Fellow), American Society of Agronomy (Fellow), Crop Science Society of America (Fellow), the Rice Technical Working Group.

• Engaged in the activities of the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, Arkansas Seed Dealers, Arkansas Seed Growers, and the Arkansas Seed Council.

• Member of the National Genetic Resources Advisory Council, 2011-2017.

• Served as Technical Advisor to the US Rice Federation Rice Marketability and Competitiveness Task Force and the US Rice Federation Technical Task Force.

• Served on the Board of Trustees for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), 2016-2018.

• John White Outstanding Research Award, 2021.

• RTWG Distinguished Service Award, 2020.

• Board of Trustees for the International Rice Institute, 2016-2018.

• John White Outstanding Research Team Award, 2004.

• First recipient of the Rice Industry Chair for Variety Development, 2002.

• Husband, Paul. Two sons: Jonathan and Henry.

1996

Leroy & Chris Isbell

1997

Charles Berry

John Denison

Paul Haidusek

Errol Lounsberry

Charley Mathews Jr. Patrick Mullen

Fred Tanner

1998

Tommy Andrus

Don Bransford

Larry Devillier Jr. Dennis Robison Gary Sebree Linda Zaunbrecher

1999

Ken Collins

James “Jimmy” Hoppe

Charles Parker Johnson Abbott Myers

Lowell George “L.G.” Raun Jr. Martin Walt Jr.

2000

John B. Alter

R. Ernest Girouard Jr. Bill Griffith Ken Minton Michael Rue

J.D. “Des” Woods

2001

Rice Farmer of the Year: Larry and Candice Davis

Rice Industry Award: Jack William

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: David LaCour

2002

Rice Farmer of the Year: Tommy Ray Oliver

Rice Industry Award: Howard Cormier

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Leland L. Carle

2003

Rice Farmer of the Year: David Monroe Smith Jr.

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Johnny Saichuk

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Lundberg Brothers

2004

Rice Farmer of the Year: Dane Hebert

Rice Industry Award: Dr. M.O. “Mo” Way

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Joseph Musick

2005

Rice Farmer of the Year: John Greer

Rice Industry Award: Charles “Eddie” Eskew

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Donald Bransford

2006

Rice Farmer of the Year: Gibb Steele

Rice Industry Award: Chuck Wilson

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: John Denison

2007

Rice Farmer of the Year: Clarence Berken

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Joe Street

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Steve Linscombe

2008

Rice Farmer of the Year: Milton LaMalfa

Rice Industry Award: John Cummings

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Martin Ahrent

2009

Rice Farmer of the Year: Curtis Berry

Rice Industry Award: John E. Broussard Jr.

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Carl Wayne Brothers

2010

Rice Farmer of the Year: Greg, C.J. and Jeff Durand

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Richard J. Norman

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Elaine T. Champagne

2011

Rice Farmer of the Year: Mark Wimpy

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Rick Cartwright

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Jacko Garrett Jr.

2012

Rice Farmer of the Year: Jim Whitaker

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Donald Groth

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Jim Erdman

2013

Rice Farmer of the Year: Joe Aguzzi

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Eric Webster

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Elton Kennedy

2014

Rice Farmer of the Year: Fred Zaunbrecher

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Kent McKenzie

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Marvin Baden

2015

Rice Farmer of the Year: Jerry Hoskyn

Rice Industry Award: Keith Fontenot

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Jimmy Hoppe

2016

Rice Farmer of the Year: Richard Fontenot

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Steve Linscombe

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Gary Sebree

2017

Rice Farmer of the Year: Christian Richard

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Xueyan Sha

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Chuck Wilson

2018

Rice Farmer of the Year: Melvin “Skip” Hula Jr.

Rice Industry Award: Earl J. Garber

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Marvin Hare Jr.

RICE AWARDS

Each year, one of the things I enjoy most about the Rice Farming magazine Rice Awards ceremony is that it brings this great industry together to recognize and celebrate the dedication, hard work and signi cant accomplishments of these award winners. Such is the case at this year’s Rice Outlook Conference, where we’ll honor three outstanding and well-deserving individuals.

We’ve come to beautiful Austin, Texas, the host city for this year’s conference, as an industry challenged on many fronts yet committed more than ever to producing a high-quality, bountiful crop that can play a key role in helping feed the world – that will return the U.S. to a place of leadership when it comes to the grain characteristics needed to meet global demand.

e award winners recognized here are at the forefront of these e orts, and it is a pleasure to formally say “thank you” for all they do or have done for our industry.

e recipients will receive the following awards:  e Rice Farmer of the Year Award is given to a farmer who has shown determination, innovation or dedication to growing the crop.

 e Rice Industry Award honors the person who has proven to be innovative in his or her role in this industry.



e Rice Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the person who has dedicated his or her life to the viability of the U.S. rice industry.

Horizon Ag is proud to again sponsor the Rice Farming magazine Rice Awards, and we sincerely congratulate each award winner.

I hope that this industry continues to recognize the value of working together with the goals of improving U.S. farmer productivity and strengthening the U.S. rice industry.

A good example of this is the recently formed Provisia Working Group, where representatives from Horizon Ag, BASF, leading rice industry retailers and the LSU Cooperative Extension Service are developing recommendations to minimize the threat of weedy rice outcrosses developing to the ACCase-inhibiting herbicide technology. As the provider of elite Clear eld and Provisia rice varieties for the industry, Horizon Ag is excited to be part of that group as we strive to help U.S. farmers be more successful in 2023 and beyond.

Sincerely, Dr. Tim Walker

Horizon

Ag General Manager

2019

Rice Farmer of the Year: Jennifer James

Rice Industry Award: Jim F. Cook

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Ford Baldwin 2020

Rice Farmer of the Year: Gordon Wylie

Rice Industry Award: Kyle McCann

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. M.O. “Mo” Way

2021

Rice Farmer of the Year: Nicole Montna Van Vleck

Rice Industry Award: Dr. Qiming “Doc” Shao

Rice Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Kent McKenzie

Horizon Ag would like to recognize past Rice Awards recipients.

Clearfield and Provisia are registered trademarks of BASF. © 2022 Horizon Ag, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

2023 Rice Seed Guide

With the past season in your rearview mirror, take time to relax, say farewell to the year, and review which cultivars did well and which ones didn’t. Also, check out university trial results to see how di erent cultivars performed in various locations.

It goes without saying that seed selection is one of the most important decisions a rice farmer has to make during the winter planning time. And with fertilizer still on everyone’s radar, it pays to collect soil samples to know how su cient or de cient your soil is.

As University of Arkansas’ Trent Roberts likes to say, “Don’t guess, soil test.”

ese easy-to-use charts, which highlight proprietary variety and hybrid traits for the Mid-South, Texas and the South, are designed to help with your planting decisions. Consider each eld individually along with your goals and preferred production system when making selections for 2023.

e following information was provided by Dyna-Gro, Horizon Ag LLC and RiceTec.

resistance

Horizon Ag Varieties

Provisia Rice System

PVL03

• Newest Provisia variety

• Highest- and most stable-yielding variety

• Excellent stalk strength

• Resistant to blast and narrow brown leaf spot

• Superior package-quality milled rice

Clearfield Production System for Rice

CLL18* (NEW)

• Very high yield potential

• Conventional stature

• Excellent straw strength

• Matures 3 days earlier than CLL16

• Good milling

• Good tolerance to sheath blight

• *Limited launch in 2023

CLL116

• Exceptional yield performance

• Broadly adapted for the region

• Good milling characteristics

• Industry-leading blast

• Excellent standability

• A leading performer in both ooded and row rice systems

CLL117

• Early-season, semi-dwarf long grain

• Strong yielder, consistently outyielding CL153

• Requires lower nitrogen and plant population

• Excellent milling yield

• Very good grain quality

• Resistant to blast and narrow brown leaf spot

CL111

• Excellent vigor with high yield potential

• Outstanding grain quality and milling

• Exceptional ratoon crop performance

• Kellogg’s preferred long grain

CL151

• Exceptional yield potential Requires lower nitrogen rate

− Manage nitrogen input to reduce lodging and disease pressure

• Susceptible to blast; not recommended for

Web Resources

For more about Clearfield and Provisia varieties, visit https:// www.horizonseed.com

For more about conventional hybrids, FullPage hybrids, and Max-Ace varieties and hybrids, visit https://www.ricetec.com/

For more about Dyna-Gro rice, visit https://dynagroseed.com/ seed-finder/rice

elds with a history of blast or water issues

CL153

• Exceptional yield potential

• Broad-spectrum blast resistance

• Excellent milling quality

• Moderately resistant to lodging

• Early maturing

• O en earns a substantial premium for exportmarkets

CLM04

• First Clear eld medium grain variety released by University of Arkansas

• Yield potential similar to Jupiter

• Very good grain quality

• Improved blast resistance compared to Jupiter CLJ01

• First Clear eld Jasmine-type variety

• Very good aroma

• Premium grain appearance and milling

CLHA02

• Second high-amylose Clear eld release

• Cheniere (L202) cook type

• Improved yield over CL163

• Excellent milling

Horizon

Variety Characteristics and Suggested Management Practices

Variety Height

Seeding Rate

Nitrogen Rate

(inches)

(days to 50% heading)

(lb seed/A)

(lb N/A) PVL03

81 50-60 120-160 CLL16 42 88 55-65 120-160 CLL17 39 81 55-65 90-130 CLL18 42 85 55-65 120-160 CL111 39 77 55-65 120-160 CL151 41 81 55-65 90-150 CL153 42 81 55-65 120-160 CLM04 42 86 60-70 120-160 CLJ01 38 85 60-70 120-160 CLHA02 38 83 55-65 120-160 1 Height will vary with plant density and environmental conditions. 2 Maturity varies with geographical region and environmental conditions in a given year. 3 Optimal drill seeded planting rate is only for fungicide treated seed. If using non-treated seed, the seeding rate should be increased by a minimum of 10 lbs/A. 4 Optimal nitrogen rate varies from field to field. The high end should be reserved for heavy clay soils and fields where rice is followed by rice. Using the high end of the nitrogen and seeding rate recommendations may increase the incidence of disease. Please scout and treat the Clearfield® varieties accordingly. The NSt*R program is recommended where applicable and has been shown to decrease incidences of disease and lodging. Please contact your local Cooperative Extension office for more information.

The dry season

DR. JARROD T. HARDKE ARKANSAS Professor/Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uada.edu

We started the year focused on the drastic increases in crop in put prices for the 2022 season. Our attention was shifted once the spring rains finally stopped at the end of May and stayed away for 50+ days. In mid-July, only small rainfall events occurred to help with, but not resolve, the drought conditions.

So, we were left to manage this rice crop, and our rotational crops, strictly based on our irrigation capacity without any help. It wasn’t always pretty. Rice fields took exceptionally long times to get flooded, and rapidly growing rice tends to take up water about as fast as we can deliver it.

Rotational crops (looking at you, corn) suffered when tough irrigation capacity decisions had to be made (what was going to get water and what wasn’t). Wells and pumps ran non-stop unless they failed. Diesel and electricity weren’t cheap.

The early season weather delayed our planting progress and helped reduce our overall planted acres, along with competition from soybean and corn. Ultimately, we settled in with about 1.1 million rice acres total with some rice planted into June and even July.

Insect and disease issues were reduced largely due to the dry conditions. However, rice stink bug control with pyrethroid in secticides was once again problematic as resistance increases. Emergency measures were required to access alternatives to keep stink bugs in check, and this will be an increasing issue in future seasons. Given the late-planted nature of some of the crop, com bined with late flooding and nitrogen applications, an increase in false smut occurred but was generally not to levels detrimental to the crop.

The stress of daytime and nighttime temperatures, combined with the drought conditions, made for a difficult season that stressed both the crop and growers. Yields can be classified as good to fair, but overall difficult to gauge due to a large amount of variability from grower-to-grower and farm-to-farm. State av erage yields are certainly lower than 2021, and likely to be slightly lower than the three-to-five-year average.

On the positive side, milling yields were an improvement com pared to 2021. The dry summer followed by a dry harvest season allowed us to harvest a better-quality crop in the end to help make up for some of the yield reductions.

The persistent drought conditions still provide concern for surface water availability going into the 2023 season. Recharge is needed for surface water storage to be viable prior to planting in 2023, or it will affect acreage intentions. Additionally, input costs (particularly fertilizer and fuel) will continue to have a great bear ing on cropping decisions next season.

During this year’s drought conditions, Arkansas rice specialist Jarrod Hardke said farmers “were left to manage this rice crop, and our rotational crops, strictly based on our irrigation capacity without any help.”

If there are no dramatic changes between now and planting, it is reasonable to expect rice acreage to remain somewhat flat in the neighborhood of 1.2 million acres. A favorable spring could lead to 1.3 million acres, but some things may have to shift in favor of rice to see it.

Another crop in the books

DR. JUSTIN CHLAPECKA

MISSOURI

Assistant Research Professor/ Rice Extension Specialist University of Missouri jchlapecka@missouri.edu

It’s great to be back and contributing to Rice Farming magazine for my second year as the University of Missouri rice specialist, but my first entire crop season in Mis souri. I was spoiled by coming in last year just in time for harvest and with a state record yield on the horizon. This year presented us with challenges from the get-go, but we ultimately made it to the end!

MIKE HAMILTON, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS/NRCS

IN RICE, IT’S ALL ABOUT ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION.

OPTIONAL 4TH

OPTIMAL 3-YEAR ROTATION

Boost yield potential with the right field rotation.* The three-year rotation of the Provisia® Rice System, the Clearfield® Production System for rice, and herbicide-tolerant soybeans gives you the best chance of keeping weed-resistance under control—while growing more rice over multiple seasons. That means more flexibility, more control and more sustainable rice-planting years on more acres. Get your rotation in order and get cleaner fields that drive yields. Contact your BASF rep or Authorized Retailer for more information.

2022 year in review

DR. BRUCE LINQUIST CALIFORNIA UCCE Rice Specialist balinquist@ucdavis.edu

2022 was a year like no other we’ve seen in recent history. Following three years of drought with limited water sup plies, rice acreage was down to a little more than 250,000 acres — about half of a typical year. California rice acreage hasn’t been this low since 1958.

For the most part, unplanted rice acres were left to fallow. The impact was greatest on the west side of the valley (along the I5 corridor). There were many rice growers that did not grow any rice, a first for many of them after generations of grow ing the crop. This reduction in acreage also had large effects on local economies and other industries that support the rice industry.

Due to a dry spring, planting started early, and 50% of the rice was planted by May 5. The major source of irrigation water is runoff from the Sierra mountain range, and while this was the case in 2022, many growers used additional ground water to supplement. For many, managing water during the season was a challenge that led to weed problems for some.

Insect and disease problems were normal. While planting

was early, May temperatures were low, which delayed crop progress. Low early season temperatures and planting a greater percentage of M-211 (a longer duration variety) contributed to a longer-than-average growing season. Half of the rice area was harvested by Oct. 13, resulting in an average season length of 161 days, which is about 10 days longer than normal.

Yields are expected to be a lower this year. This is in part due to the water problems mentioned earlier; however, from Sept. 1 to Sept. 9 the Sacramento Valley experienced historically high temperatures. Maximum temperatures ranged from 103 to 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures were often above 70 degrees Fahrenheit (data from Sacramento airport).

This period coincided with flowering and early grain fill for much of the rice. Such temperatures during flowering are known to cause blanking and reduced yields. Also, high night time temperatures during grain fill can cause chalkiness and reduce milling quality. Early reports from growers all support that yields and grain quality are down.

Following harvest, there’s been a large amount of rice acre age where the rice straw has been baled. This is in part due to the lack of winter water to flood fields for decomposition; however, with the drought, rice straw becomes an option for livestock feed in the San Joaquin Valley. This fall, some growers are getting a relatively good price for their rice straw.

There is a lot of uncertainty among growers about what next year holds. Certainly, a dry winter does not bode well for the rice industry. So, all eyes are on the weather.

Weather hardships in the spring when rains would not stop, combined with high fertilizer prices and rice futures that did not catch up for some time, resulted in total rice acreage much less than forecasted. FSA-planted acres as of Oct. 22 were just over 150,000 — dropping us to fifth place in total rice acreage for the United States.

Many of our growers were not able to put a seed in the ground until late April, but once the rain decided to shut off, it did indeed shut off. Little rainfall, combined with high temperatures near 100 degrees Fahrenheit for a good portion of June and July, led to delays in establishing a flood on our flood-irrigated rice and excessive irrigation on our furrow-irrigated rice.

We’ve been lucky to receive “catch-up” rains on our furrow-ir rigated rice at key times since acreage blew up. However, this year that did not happen and has exposed some areas where we might rethink our irrigation strategy going into the future.

While the late planting window pushed back heading and ul timately maturity, by the time we got to that point, temperatures had receded and left us with mid-80s/upper-60s for high and low temperatures, respectively. Those near-ideal temperatures helped us salvage yield and likely grain quality as well. It appears grain yield for 2022 will end slightly above average, although still quite a bit less than last year’s bin-buster for many.

The major harvest window for Missouri rice came and went in quick fashion, from a combination of lower acreage and great harvest weather. Some did not catch a rain at all during harvest,

allowing us to get rice out of the field without ruts. Many produc ers did not miss a day in the field as long as grain moisture was where it needed to be. In fact, a good portion of ground is ready for a drill to be dropped in next spring, and it’ll be here before we know it.

Like I ended last year’s comments at this time, I’m beyond blessed to be serving the rice industry and would love for you to reach out to me anytime with comments or questions. As always, eat Missouri rice!

Louisiana faced challenges growing rice in 2022

DR. RONNIE LEVY

LOUISIANA

Extension Rice Specialist

Louisiana State University

RLevy@agcenter.lsu.edu

Many farmers and others related to the rice industry will tell you that when it comes to rice farming, every year has its challenges. Many farmers have told me that the year 2022 was no different. There was a short window where the soil was dry enough to plant, which occurred during the early part of March.

Most producers in South Louisiana scrambled to plant as much as they could during this brief window. North Louisiana producers weren’t as lucky because the rain just wouldn’t stop. It was late before many were able to plant. When it did stop, everyone began to wonder, “When will it rain?”

In 2021, it rained the entire season until harvest. is year after planting, the rains disappeared until a er harvest began. Most elds saw clear, sunny days that were excellent growing conditions, but the lack of rainfall increased pumping cost due to high energy cost. Some elds of row rice in North Louisiana could not keep up with getting water on the elds, which resulted in some areas in the elds dying.

Disease and pest pressure were very low in the early crop. Many elds were able to skip the standard fungicide applications. A er the good growing season when early harvest started, so did the rains. Later-planted rice elds saw disease incident and severity explode. e continued rains did not allow fungicide application or harvest of the maturing crop.

Many elds had severe lodging — slowing harvest and reducing yields. Other elds were harvested in the mud and at lower grain moisture than is desirable. Some elds had to delay harvest because roads were too wet to get trucks to the elds. Ratoon crop was negatively impacted leaving these elds with deep ruts and no chance to manipulate the straw for a uniform second crop. Many

producers decided to have the elds go to craw sh instead of a ratoon crop.

e later crop also had lower yields than we observed in the early crop due to increased disease pressure from sheath blight and Cercospora. Both diseases also a ected the ratoon crop, reducing the number of healthy culms returning for seed production.

We have also seen an increase in the number of stem borers in the second crop, but there are no current recommended controls or economic thresholds. Extremely high fertilizer prices also resulted in reduced rates of basic fertilizer in many elds. Producers are hoping for lower fertilizer prices next year.

e state average yield has not been determined, but it is expected to be slightly lower than the record yields we anticipated we would see a er the high yields of the early crop. e ratoon crop in South Louisiana is well underway. While most of it looks okay, early yields may not give our overall yield a boost when all is said and done this year.

We continue to see increased craw sh production acres in South Louisiana. As rice-craw sh rotation continues to expand, more of the ratoon rice acres have gone into craw sh production instead of harvest.

With high fertilizer, energy and other input costs we are seeing now, I don’t think anyone knows what next year’s rice production in Louisiana will look like.

Deep ruts in some fields negatively impacted the ratoon crop.

2021 CY PLC payment rates for long grain/medium grain rice

Dr. Michael A. Deliberto, LSU AgCenter Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, says the 2021 national marketing year av erage (MYA) prices for long grain rice and medium grain rice have been published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program provides price support when a covered com modity’s national MYA price is less than the statutorily-established reference price. For the 2021 marketing year, a PLC program payment is triggered for both classes of rice. The PLC program payment rates for long grain and Southern medium grain rice are $0.40/cwt and $0.10/cwt, respectively.

PLC program payments ($/acre) are cal culated by multiplying the PLC payment rate by the farm’s program yield for each covered commodity.

PLC program payments are made on 85% of the farm’s base acres for a covered commodity. Farm program payments are subject to payment limits and budget se questration cuts.

Mississippi rice specialist

Hunter Bowman has been named rice specialist for the Mississippi State Univer sity Extension Service.

The Arkansas native joined MSU Exten sion in January 2022 as an instructor and was promoted to assistant professor before beginning his new role July 1. Bowman holds two degrees from the University of Arkansas and recently completed his doctorate from MSU in its Department of Plant and Soil Science.

While completing his doctoral work, Bowman was a graduate research assistant at MSU. He also has ex perience in crop consulting, field management, seed testing and sales for ag vendors, such as Corteva Agriscience and Pinnacle Agriculture.

Bowman is based at the MSU Delta Re search and Extension Center in Stoneville.

“The rice industry is very important to the Delta region of Mississippi. Having a young, energetic Extension specialist such as Dr. Bowman will be an asset to that industry and to Extension efforts in the region,” said Jeff Gore, interim head of the R&E Center.

New Arkansas FireSMART app for prescribed burning

for reporting and information.

In row crop production, prescribed fire is used in the fall as part of crop manage ment plans to remove stubble. Prescribed burning is an efficient and economical control method for preparing fields for the next growing season and eliminating pests and diseases. Burning crop residue also allows for no-till or reduced-till planting during the next growing season.

Prescribed burning provides many ben efits to forest landowners including vegetation control, ecosystem restoration and wildlife habitat improvement. Additional ly, prescribed fire makes landscapes more resistant to wildfires by removing flamma ble debris and vegetation.

Access the new FireSMART app at arkfiresmart.com/. Read more about prescribed fire and its benefits at bit.ly/pres burn. Find the Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines at agriculture.arkansas. gov/arkansas-voluntary-smoke-manage ment-guidelines/.

USA Rice/CFTC Agricultural Advisory Committee

Carroll Smith, 875 W. Poplar Ave., Ste. 23, Box 305, Collierville, TN 38017

Owners: Cornelia Guthrie, 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470; Dr. David Scott Guthrie, Sr., 7100 Black Bart Trail, Redwood Valley, CA 95470; Morris Ike Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159; Mary Jane Lamensdorf, 17 S. Third St., Rolling Fork, MS 39159

Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders Own ing/Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: May 2022 15.a. Total Number of Copies (net press run): (Average No. Copies each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 6,576) (No. Copies of Single Issue Pub lished Nearest to Filing Date – 6,500)

15.b.(1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 3,195) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 3,251)

15.c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 3,195) (No. Copies of Single Issue Nearest to Filing Date – 3,251)

15.d.(1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 3,131) (No. Copies of Single Issue Pub lished Nearest to Filing Date – 3,074)

15.d.(4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 117) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 0)

15.e. Total Nonrequested Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 3,248) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 3,074)

15.f. Total Distribution: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months - 6,443) (No Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 6,325)

15.g. Copies Not Distributed: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Pre ceding 12 Months - 133) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date - 175)

15.h. Total: (Average No. copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months –6,576) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 6,500)

15.i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: (Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months – 49.6%) (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date – 51.4%)

18. I certify that all information furnished above is true and complete. Lia Guthrie, Publisher

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment an nounce the launch of the Arkansas FireSMART mo bile application. This app, created with funding from the Environmental Protec tion Agency, offers row crop producers and forest landowners an easy way to check con ditions and report prescribed burns.

With the new app, producers can select the area they plan to burn on a map and the application will generate real-time weath er data, letting producers know if current conditions align with the state’s Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines.

Under Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines, producers and landowners re port prescribed burns to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Dispatch Center. The FireSMART app also streamlines this process, making the app a one-stop shop

USA Rice reports that Jason Wheeler, a grain merchandising specialist at White Commercial and immediate past chair of the USA Rice Futures Contract Working Group, has been appointed to represent USA Rice on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Agricultur al Advisory Committee (AAC).

Created in 1985, the AAC advises the Commission on issues involving the trad ing of agricultural commodity futures and options, as well as facilitates communica tions between the CFTC, the ag community and agriculture-related organizations.

In this role, Wheeler will represent the views and interests of USA Rice to the Commission over a two-year term. Wheel er assumes this role following a decade of service on the AAC by Louisiana rice farm er John Owen.

“I want to congratulate Jason on his appointment, and I look forward to him representing the interests of the U.S. rice industry on the CFTC’s Agricultural Advi sory Committee,” said John Morgan, chair of the USA Rice Futures Contract Working Group. “I also want to thank John Owen for his service on this important commit tee over the past decade.”

Hunter Bowman

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