Rice Farming April 2015

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www.ricefarming.com

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

APRIL 2015

Richard Farms Paving the way for the next generation

Specialists discuss insects and water Nominations open: 2015 Rice Awards

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April 2015

www.ricefarming.com

Vol. 49, No. 5

COVER STORY

COLUMNS From The Editor

8

4

Through the eyes of a child

USA Rice Federation

6

Improving the rice futures contract

Rice Producers Forum

18

Milling yield evaluation

DEPARTMENTS Specialists Speaking

12

Water Management/ Insect Control

Industry News

22

Rice business scene

Calendar

Richard Farms Louisiana rice producers Julie and Christian Richard pave the way for the next generation: Katherine, Saul and Landry.

FEATURES 22

ON THE COVER: Richard Farms is located near Kaplan, La. Pictured are Christian Richard, left, son Saul, wife Julie, son Landry and daughter Katherine.

2015 Rice Awards Nominations are now being accepted for the Rice Farmer of the Year, Rice Industry Award and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award. The nomination form along with additional details can be found on page 13.

Specialists Discuss Insects & Water

12

University specialists from across the Rice Belt weigh in on timely topics.

Insecticide Seed Treatments

16

Dr. Jarrod Hardke says consider your needs when choosing a product.

20

Meeting Peak Demand Bulk bag filler speeds packaging at Kennedy Rice Mill.

RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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RICEFARMING

FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Copy Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Carol Watson cwatson@onegrower.com

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Editorial Director Tommy Horton (901) 767-4020 thorton@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Janet Owens (229) 386-8809 Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing LLC also publishes COTTON FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH magazines.

RICE FARMING (ISSN 0194-0929) is published monthly January through May, and December, for $25.00 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119.

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© Copyright 2015

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4 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

Through the eyes of a child When I was a kid, Sunday afternoons were reserved for the family piling in the truck and driving out to the farm in east-central Louisiana to look at the crops. At that time, I had two sisters – Kimberly and Anne – and I was the oldest. Our baby brother Wes had not been born yet.

We drove down turnrow after turnrow as Dad pointed out the different crops and explained what they were and how they were progressing, depending on the time of the year. Even though it was dryland, I remember the beans looking tall as trees to me later in the season.

The varieties had not evolved into the more compact, higher-yielding plants that they are today. And, through our eyes, the equipment looked huge although, it, too, was not nearly the size of today’s tractors, planters and combines.

Dad didn’t grow any rice because the land he farmed wasn’t suited to it.

He planted mostly beans, milo and, later, some cotton. But no matter what crop was in the field, his point was to share his love of agriculture with us and help us understand what he did all day and how important it was in the big scheme of things.

Since we didn’t live on the farm, I suppose we were technically “city kids,” if, by some stretch of the imagination, you can call the small town where I grew up a city. Mom and Dad wanted us to enjoy being out on the farm, so they threw in a surprise one day – a quarter horse named Mr. Lawman, which Dad taught us how to ride. I immediately claimed it as mine since I was the oldest although I did share rides with my sisters. They later got horses of their own – Preacher and Sunny. When my brother came along, he wasn’t so much interested in riding a horse as he was in riding, and later driving, the equipment.

I’ve forgotten a lot, but I’ve never forgotten the days that I spent on the farm as a child. I was reminded of those magical times while observing Christian and Julie Richard’s children running through the newly planted rice field, which is just steps away from their back door, and stopping occasionally to dig up a rice seed to show me what their Daddy had planted.

Two-year-old Saul could name every piece of equipment in sight, and fouryear-old Katherine helped mix up the rice pancakes that would be the dessert for the upcoming crawfish boil that night. Six-month-old Landry seemed content in his stroller, but you could tell that he was taking in everything, too.

As Julie Richard notes on page 9, “That time [spent out on the farm] is important for these three kids to not only see what we are doing but to be able to spend good interactive time with us. They will have their own set of memories one day. I hope that no matter what they do, they carry with them an appreciation of where their food and fiber originates and help to share it with others.”

I personally think that everyone would have a better appreciation for agriculture if they could only see it through the eyes of a child.

Send your comments to: Editor, Rice Farming Magazine, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, Tenn., 38138. Call (901) 326-4443 or e-mail csmith@onegrower.com.

Always read and follow label directions. Obey and Command 3ME products are not registered for sale or use in California. Obey, Command and FMC are trademarks and Investing in farming’s future is a service mark of FMC Corporation. The 2015 Obey Herbicide Rice Growers Program is valid for the following states: AL, AR (within specific areas – see FMC Star Retailer for details), GA, LA, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX. ©2015 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. F100-038145 2/15

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RICE FEDERATION

UPDATE

Improving the rice futures contract: USA Rice at work The contract must be structured to promote convergence.

T

By John Owen Chairman Rice Futures Contract Working Group USA Rice Federation

Convergence is when the nearby futures price and the cash price at the delivery point become equal. The core integrity of a futures contract is convergence.

6 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

he rice futures contract is not a particularly efficient hedging tool, so four years ago the USA Rice Federation formed the Rice Futures Contract Working Group to study the issue and look for ways to improve the contract’s performance.

Our contract struggles with low volume and episodes of wild basis swings (the difference between the cash price and the contract price) that end up reducing confidence in the contract to function properly.

Reduced confidence leads to low volume.

Low volume leads to wild basis swings and poor price discovery. A vicious cycle and a struggling market are the result.

In order to improve our contract and build confidence in it as a hedging tool we knew we had to address these wild basis swings (that sometimes were as pronounced as 20 percent) and structure the contract to promote convergence.

Convergence is when the nearby futures price and the cash price at the delivery point become equal. The core integrity of a futures contract is convergence. And Warehousemen Regular for Delivery, registered with the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), are the key to convergence.

If the Warehouseman can buy cash rice at a substantial discount to the futures (low basis), then sell the nearby futures and deliver the rice into his own facility, he makes a profit. This process drives the futures prices down and the cash prices up, and the market converges.

The down side for the Warehouseman is that when he delivers, he gives up control of some of his bin space, and filling up and emptying that space is the most profitable part of his business. The Warehouseman has to balance the opportunity of taking delivery with the ability to service his customers, both farmers and end users.

However, if we can increase the amount of space available for the Warehouseman to take delivery, you increase the likelihood that he will want to capture the wide

basis margin when it occurs and drive the market back toward convergence.

Enter The Shipping Certificate Shipping Certificates, as the delivery instrument, can add this extra storage space by allowing for off-site storage, and create transportation efficiencies, thus encouraging transactions that drive convergence.

Shipping Certificates also reduce back office paperwork since all associated charges are calculated electronically, as opposed to warehouse receipts that are done manually. It’s worth noting that Shipping Certificates are the delivery instrument for all other grains traded on the CBOT – for corn and soybeans since 2000, and for wheat since 2009. These changes corresponded with a dramatic increase in volume in those contracts.

In February, the Working Group recommended to the USA Rice Federation Board of Directors that the delivery instrument for the rice futures contract be changed from a warehouse receipt to a Shipping Certificate collateralized by a warehouse receipt. The Board approved the recommendation, and it has been sent on to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

However, when the Working Group met in April, it discovered the CME rules dictate that if a warehouse receipt is used to collateralize a Shipping Certificate (rather than a Letter of Credit), the warehouse receipt must be located at a delivery point.

The Working Group and the CME will have to address this issue if the change is to be meaningful.

Change is never easy, but this is a group effort. It is a testament to the rice industry that we were able to come together under the banner of the Federation to address such an important issue.

John Owen is a rice grower from Rayville, La. Economic research provided by Dr. Fred Seamon, Milo Hamilton and Evan Spencer.

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Rice Consultant’s Corner

Herbicide Program Must Fit The Farm James Bowen Bowen Rice Consulting Inc. Boyle, Miss.

At the age of 15 while I was in high school, I helped my daddy water rice for different farmers in the Benoit area. By the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to do something related to rice. I received a degree in agronomy from Mississippi State, then went to work for Bill Killen, a local rice consultant. That’s when I really fell in love with rice.

I started my own business, Bowen Rice Consulting Inc. in 1999.

Last year, in spite of having another wet spring, 2014 was a really good year yield-wise. My philosophy is to take one year at a time. I have learned that even if the season starts off slow, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a bad year.

As far as troublesome weeds in rice, barnyardgrass and sprangletop are top of the list in our area, followed by pigweed. We also are seeing more dayflower and glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass.

When I put together a herbicide program for my farmers, I do it on a farm-by-farm basis, depending on the weed spectrum. I typically start off with a tankmix of glyphosate, Command and Sharpen right behind the roller. Then, I wait to see what weeds emerge after that treatment.

If Command breaks, I will come back right before flood with Clincher/Facet, Stam/Facet or Regiment/Facet, depending on the weeds we are targeting in a particular field.

• B.S. degree in Agronomy – Mississippi State University • Established Bowen Rice Consulting Inc. in 1999 • Licensed consultant for 16 years • Consults on rice, soybeans, wheat and corn • Member of Mississippi Agricultural Consultants Association (MACA) • Married to wife, LaWanna. Two twin daughters, Abbi and Kassi, 13; son, John Thomas, 9 • Enjoys spending time with the family, hunting and fishing

Recap: Herbicide Program Must Fit The Farm

▼

Pigweed And Dayflower Becoming More Prominent These days, we are having a lot of trouble with pigweed in beans.

Normally, the pigweed escapes that we have in beans will show up in rice the following year. In the past, pigweed has not been a really troublesome weed in rice, but now we are seeing more and more of it.

In the Clearfield system, I like to apply Grasp Xtra because it’s a mix of Grasp and Grandstand. I put it out just ahead of the flood, and it does a really good job on pigweed.

Where we are seeing dayflower, I apply a tankmix of Regiment and Facet just ahead of the flood. If glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass is in the field, it’s best to get something out early – end of January, first of February. I typically go with a mix of Roundup, Select and Sharpen or 2,4-D. Roundup gets rid of winter annuals like poa annua, Select helps with the glyphosate-resistant ryegrass, and Sharpen or 2,4-D takes care of henbit and/or horseweed. However, keep in mind that Select, as well as 2,4-D, has a 30-day plant-back restriction. If you miss that timing, then the next option is to go with Gramoxone if it’s close to planting.

As we get into the 2015 season, rice farmers need to make sure they are using an effective herbicide program that fits the farm. This approach will save money in the long run. Farmers also should plant early, if possible, to have the best chance of making optimum yields.

1.As far as troublesome weeds in rice, barnyardgrass and sprangletop are top of the list in our area, followed by pigweed.

We also are seeing more dayflower and glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass.

2.I typically start off with a tankmix of glyphosate, Command and Sharpen right behind the roller.

3.If Command breaks, I will come back right before flood with Clincher/Facet, Stam/Facet or Regiment/Facet, depending on the weeds we are targeting in a particular field.

4.In the Clearfield system, I like to apply Grasp Xtra because it’s a mix of Grasp and Grandstand. I put it out just ahead of the flood, and it does a really good job on pigweed.

5.Where we are seeing dayflower, I apply a tankmix of Regiment and Facet just ahead of the flood.

6.If glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass is in the field, I typically go out early with a mix of Roundup, Select and Sharpen or 2,4-D. Roundup gets rid of the winter annuals like poa annua, Select helps with glyphosate-resistant ryegrass, and Sharpen or 2,4-D takes care of henbit and/or horseweed.

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Richard Farms Paving the way for the next generation Editor’s Note: The mission of Rice Farming magazine is to provide Profitable Production Practices to farmers across the Rice Belt. As editor, I do my best to fulfill that mission in every issue. The April issue of Rice Farming is no different. What is different about this issue is that you have the opportunity to hear from a side of a farming partnership that is prevalent in rice farming country, but not often recognized. It is a partnership like the one described in this article that has what it takes to preserve the family farming operation and pave the way for the ones to follow. I had the opportunity to visit Richard Farms in Kaplan, La., this month and observe one of the most efficient, beautiful rice farming operations in the United States. Christian Richard and his wife, Julie, are sixth and fifth generation rice farmers, respectively, who love what they do and instill those same values in their children – Katherine, Saul and Landry. This is Julie’s story.

I

have great memories of riding on the tractor with my daddy late at night. My parents made sure we spent time with both of them regardless of season. This sometimes meant going to meet dad.

Christian and I do the same thing. I met him this afternoon to exchange papers, and I left with one less kid that I Christian and Saul, left, check on a custom planting job at producer Bud Baronet’s rice farming lost to his infatuation with the “big trac- operation in Acadia Parish. Custom planting is one way the Richards can diversify in an area where tors!” That time is important for these it is difficult to diversify by planting other crops. three kids to not only see what we are doing but to be able to spend good interactive time with us. They built his farm shop next to our home!

They will have their own set of memories one day. I hope that no come to the farm office with me, ride the tractor with dad, help bring lunches to the field and are around when we are harvesting. They matter what they do, they carry with them an appreciation of where do think that dad built them the biggest indoor bike rink since he their food and fiber originates and help to share it with others.

8 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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Saul, who doesn’t miss much around the farm, looks forward to actually driving the “Gator” one day out in the rice fields.

During my junior year, I realized that I liked the business and people side of Veterinary Medicine much more than the science behind the field.

Upon graduation with a B.S. degree in Animal Sciences, I was offered an assistantship doing recruitment solely for agriculture. This assistantship came with a scholarship that allowed me to obtain a Masters and a greater portion of my Doctorate in Human Resource Education with a minor in Agriculture Economics. It was during that tenure that I found my way back to production agriculture, being in small towns and interacting with students of all backgrounds, and mostly sharing the vast expanses of agriculture with them.

After LSU, I was employed by Louisiana Farm Bureau, first as a “field man” and then as the assistant director of Field Services handling leadership development of Young Farmers & Ranchers and Farm Women. Farm Bureau not only gave me valuable experiences that allowed me to grow and excel professionally, they also nominated me for the McCloy Fellowship in 2009. I was selected as one of four individuals nationally to travel to Germany and Belgium and study agriculture production and practices. This background, along with other international trips and conferences that Christian and I have been a part of, have helped open our eyes to new ideas, trends and potential market issues.

A Team Effort

Education & Employment Opportunities I was raised on a rice, soybean and crawfish farm but was not actively involved in the day-to-day operations. I had an understanding of what was going on and the process at hand, but had no intention of making a career in agriculture. I was not in 4-H or FFA and was more involved in music, Beta, the school newspaper, etc.

When I enrolled at LSU, I thought I wanted to go to Veterinary School, and that is how I landed in the College of Agriculture.

Christian and I met exactly a month after I started working for Farm Bureau. I came to a board meeting in my home parish, and he was the only person that I didn’t already know. The rest is history. His drive, innovativeness and desire for constantly educating himself were just a few of the things that made me come to love him.

I always look at a situation and think of ways to improve what we are doing and make it more effective and efficient. Christian thinks the same way about the farming operation. I understand what he is trying to accomplish, realize that my independence will come in very handy during the five to six months that we will work 16-hour days and appreciate what he is doing for us as well as the world’s food supply. I know he appreciates the late nights doing work after the kids are asleep and the sleepless nights when one isn’t feeling well.

It was not in my plans to farm, but with the birth of a second child and the stress of traveling for work, we both thought my education and abilities should start to work for us directly. I tell people often that in May of 2012 Christian took his biggest farming gamble: he hired his wife!

There is a mutual respect there for what each of us does daily and the understanding that we have to have each other’s back is key to any successful business partnership, whether that partnership involves marriage or not. He has the areas that he oversees, and I have the things that I handle. Communication is key in this type of situation and something that we try to work hard to accomplish daily.

He knows that aside from him no one has a bigger investment in this farming operation than I do. I trust him to make sound decisions, RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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and he trusts me to make sure that all “i’s are dotted” and “t’s are crossed,” and we run as smoothly as possible. It is a team effort every day.

Living The Dream

I get asked often if I think our kids will take over the farm. First, although my second child has more of an interest in the farm than most kids do, they are way too young to make that call. They go to school a few days a week in the nearby city and interact with a diverse Priorities Go Hand In Hand group of people, the majority of which have no The biggest advantage of working for the farm idea about what we do. They take gymnastics, play and not another company is the flexibility I am ball, love the zoo and are just like every other allowed with my kids. I don’t miss birthdays, young child. class field trips, school parties and little mileI want them to experience an array of things in stones in life that I may have otherwise. These their lives and be able to choose their own paths. I three kids fall at the top of priorities for both ultimately want them to be happy in whatever their Christian and me. The old adage of God first, chosen profession is and the choices they make to family second and career third is very true in this live out that dream. house and on this farm. We are lucky that those If you had asked me at 18 if I would be farming, three priorities go hand in hand for us.

I would have laughed at you. This is our dream, and The responsibilities that I have with the farm we are getting to live it everyday. They deserve are fairly flexible. Although paperwork, insurthe same thing. ance, licenses and legal documents may have They definitely like their lifestyle, but I don’t deadlines, I can do most at times that are opti- Katherine pitches in to help make mal for all of us, kids included. The kids don’t rice pancakes with cane syrup as think they truly understand how blessed they are. always get my undivided attention, and they do the dessert served at the crawfish Christian and I have truly been blessed – three have to do things that may not be as fun as watch- boil that the Richards recently host- healthy and happy babies, a productive and growing farming operation and opportunities to do and ing Disney channel or playing like their friends do, ed for the Rice Leadership Class. see things that many will never get to experience. but they have 4,300 acres to plow with their toy At the end of the day, I can only hope that these three children tractors; they have a moving office to ride in and play “I Spy,” and they will have real-world knowledge that few could only hope for. Even are grateful for what they have been given, appreciate the origin of their food and clothes and live out their dreams. the not-so-fun stuff is fun if you approach it in the correct manner.

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A Long Tradition In The Rice Industry Both sides of Christian Richard’s family have a long tradition in the rice industry, too. As a rice farmer in south Louisiana, he represents the sixth generation. His father’s family worked for Riviana Foods when it was located in Abbeville, La. His grandmother was a bookkeeper for the Godchauxs, and his grandfather was a rice buyer. Today, his uncle on his father’s side is also a rice buyer.

On his mother’s side, his grandfather and his uncle farmed rice near Kaplan where Christian attended elementary school. He attended high school in Abbeville and later graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2000 with a degree in Ag Business.

“When I was born up until I was four-yearsold, we had five generations that were alive,” he says. “While I was in high school and college, my grandfather gave me a small crawfish farm. I would go to school in the morning, then come home and run crawfish traps in the afternoon.

“After graduating from college, I put in my first rice crop in 2001. At that time, I had about 200 acres of rice and some crawfish. In 2005,

my grandfather split his farm and gave half I always had other things going, too, because to me and half to my uncle. in south Louisiana, rice farmers typically are “After Julie and I met at the Farm Bureau unable to diversify by planting other crops. meeting, we married in 2008,” Christian adds.

“Right now, I have three trucks that I use for “At that time, the farm consisted of about contract hauling, do some custom planting 2,000 acres, including 900 acres of rice. Later and grow crawfish. This is the only way we on, a couple more tracts became available, can diversify in this area and build an operation which then allowed us to increase our acreage. that might be attractive to our children in the “When Saul was born, Julie resigned from future.” – Carroll Smith her job at Farm Bureau, and we started farming together. It was a tough decision for her, but that’s what she wanted to do.”

In 2011, Christian and Julie picked up 16 acres adjacent to their home, where they subsequently built several grain bins, a farm shop and an office.

“At that point, everything was falling into place,” he says.

“Today, we farm 4,000 acres – 2,000 acres of rice, 1,500 acres of soybeans and 500 acres of Julie and Christian Richard were one of four National crawfish. But I never just farmed. Outstanding Young Farmers selected in February of 2014.

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING DR. LUIS ESPINO CALIFORNIA Rice Farming Systems Advisor UCCE laespino@ucanr.edu We are lucky that in California we don’t have as many insect pests as in other parts of the country or the world. Rice seed midge, rice water weevil and tadpole shrimp (not an insect but a crustacean) can infest rice early after planting. Later on, armyworms may infest rice fields mid-season. Following are a few updates on arthropod management in California rice.

The rice water weevil infests fields soon after flooding.

Larvae feed on the roots and cause symptoms similar to N deficiency. Usually, infestations are limited to the first 20 to 30 feet next to field borders or levees, and this is where damage occurs. Recent research indicates that the variety M206, planted in roughly half the acreage, is more tolerant to rice water weevil injury than older varieties, even though weevils tend to prefer it. This may explain why the rela- Redshouldered stink bug feeding in California rice fields can damage kernels tive importance of rice water weevil as a pest has decreased. causing “peck,” a discoloration of the kernel.

At the same time, M-202, an older, more susceptible variety, is on its way out; it is only planted in 10 percent of acreage. where weevil is a problem, increasing the seeding rate will not reduce Another recent research find indicates that seeding rate does not infestations or compensate for weevil injury. have an effect on weevil infestation or damage, meaning that in areas Tadpole shrimp seems to be a re-emerging pest in rice. This was an

Arthropod management

Unique challenges DR. BOBBY GOLDEN MISSISSIPPI Extension Rice Specialist bgolden@drec.msstate.edu As the weather attempts to warm up and fields are starting to dry up, rice planting will begin fairly soon. At this point, varieties have been chosen and seed treatment decisions have been made. Planting date has been shown to impact rice yield, with rice early planting dates generally producing the greatest yields.

The earliest planted rice also faces some unique challenges.

The greatest challenge is establishing an acceptable stand, especially when rice is planted at reduced seeding rates. In early planting situations, an insecticidal seed treatment is very important.

Dr. Jeff Gore’s program has evaluated multiple seed treatments for use in rice, and his data suggests the following.

Insecticidal seed treatments, such as Cruiser or NipsIt INSIDE, provide good control of early season insect pests in rice that can influence stand establishment. Chinch bug is one insect pest that can be devastating during the seedling stage, especially in fields adjacent to turnrows and fallow areas with dense infestations of Italian ryegrass. Chinch bugs are only an occasional pest, but they can cause severe problems in fields where they occur. Both Cruiser and NipsIt INSIDE provide good control of this pest.

12 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

We must also keep in mind that seed treatments face unique challenges on the earliest planted rice. The clock starts ticking on how well a seed treatment will perform as soon as the seed is put in the ground. The earliest planted rice generally takes longer to emerge with seedling growth usually progressing slower early in the season because of cooler temperatures. For the most part, both of the seed treatments mentioned above will perform better for rice water weevil control if the permanent flood is established four to five weeks after planting compared to six to eight weeks after planting. When seedling emergence and growth are delayed, rice water weevil control from these seed treatments will not be optimized.

Rainfall is another factor that can impact the performance of insecticide seed treatments. If we experience a weather pattern like we have observed in the last couple of weeks and receive heavy rainfall over an extended period of time, the performance of these seed treatments for rice water weevil control will be reduced.

Dermacor is an additional seed treatment that is labeled in rice.

Dermacor is a different class of chemistry that provides longer residual control under adverse conditions. Dermacor will usually provide good control of rice water weevil even when seedling growth is slow and heavy rainfall occurs. The downfall is that Dermacor provides little, if any, control of other early season pests that can reduce stand.

In conclusion, insecticide seed treatments are an important tool to establish optimum plant density and get the crop off to a good start. Use of a seed treatment to help alleviate multiple stresses on early season rice generally will pay off in the long run.

2015 Rice Awards Nom formv3_2004 Rf Nom 4/1/15 10:21 AM Page 13

2015 Rice Awards Nomination Form The Rice Farmer of the Year, Rice Industry Award and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award recognize those rice leaders who have demonstrated dedication, determination and innovation to the industry. We need your help to identify candidates who are worthy of these prestigious awards. Please take the time to consider which industry members in your area should be recipients of these honors and mail or scan/email this form and supporting materials.

Categories Please check the box of the appropriate award category:

❑ Rice Farmer of the Year Award

• Must farm at least 200 acres.

• A farmer who has successfully achieved goals in his/her farming operation, rice industry association, community improvement/development, innovative production practices and/or environmental stewardship.

❑ Rice Industry Award

• Has been in the rice industry for more than five years.

• A researcher, Extension person, government/association leader, etc… who has demonstrated commitment to the rice industry through innovative practices, industry association, community involvement/development.

❑ Rice Lifetime Achievement Award • Has been in the rice industry for more than 10 years.

• An industry leader who has provided great contributions to the rice industry through industry associations, community involvement/development, innovative practices/projects that have advanced the industry.

If you are submitting more than one nomination form, please make a copy before you fill out the form. Nomination forms can be downloaded at www.ricefarming.com.

Nominee's name Nominee's address Nominee's phone number Nominee's rice acreage (if applicable) Number of years involved in the rice industry (if applicable)

Your name Your profession Your address Your phone number

Deadline:

June 30, 2015

Your signature

Date

Please send completed form & supporting materials to: Carroll Smith, 7201 Eastern Ave., Germantown, TN 38138 Scan/Email: csmith@onegrower.com

On a separate piece of paper, please consider the following: Dedication to farming and/or agriculture and the rice industry, local community and education.

Determination to succeed and overcome hurdles that have emerged while trying to reach goals.

Innovation to identify new and better ways for the industry to become more profitable, manage risk, achieve a higher level of efficiency.

In addition to completing this form, please describe the nominee in terms of the above guidelines. It also is helpful to send letters of recommendation for the nominee from other individuals in the rice industry who are familiar with his/her accomplishments. A panel of judges from across the Rice Belt will select the recipients of the 2015 Rice Awards.

The award recipients will be honored at the USA Rice Outlook Conference, December 9-11, 2015, where an official presentation will be made at an awards luncheon. They also will be featured in a special salute sponsored by Horizon Ag, USA Rice Federation and Rice Farming magazine in the December 2015 issue.

SPONSORS

12 14 15 RF 0415v6_RF 11/13 template 4/6/15 10:16 AM Page 14

SPECIALISTS SPEAKING important pest during the 1980s. Back then, organophosphate insecticides were used intensively to control several pests in rice, including tadpole shrimp, and, as a result, tadpole shrimp developed resistance. Currently, tadpole shrimp management relies on pyrethroid insecticides. The acreage treated with pyrethroids has increased from 11 percent in 2005 to more than 30 percent in 2013. Although some of these applications are also directed at rice water weevil, the increase is most likely due to tadpole shrimp. The use of a single insecticide mode of action against this pest raises the risk of resistance development, as experienced before. Recently, a suspect pyrethroid resistant population had been causing problems for several years in one field in Colusa County; fortunately, this population was confirmed as not resistant last year.

In the past decade or so, there have been several instances in which growers reported their grain quality being reduced from Grade 1 to Grade 2 because of an increase in proportion of damaged kernels.

Lodged rice or early fall rains, common causes of damaged kernels, were not the issue. Larry Godfrey, UC Davis Extension Entomologist, and I conducted a survey of one of these fields to determine if an insect may be causing the problem. We found a redshouldered stink bug. I had collected this stink bug from rice fields in Colusa and Yolo counties in the past, but thought they were just “visiting.”

After a valley-wide search, we found this stink bug at low densities in several fields, especially weedy ones. In going through some historical documents, I found a handout in my office from 1965 that referred to an outbreak of this stink bug injuring rice kernels in 1939.

We have conducted experiments in which we caged redshouldered stink bugs in rice plants and found that their feeding can damage kernels causing “peck,” a discoloration of the kernel. Pecky kernels are considered damaged kernels, and, therefore, can cause the reduction of the grade. Pecky grains also are more prone to break during milling and can result in lower head rice yield.

We are asking producers and pest control advisers to be aware of this insect and report any finds in rice fields (635-6234 or laespino@ucanr.edu). We’re not sure if the redshouldered stink bug is the cause of downgraded rice, but we will continue to investigate.

Water management DR. DUSTIN HARRELL LOUISIANA Extension Rice Specialist dharrell@agcenter.lsu.edu The ability of a rice producer to effectively manage water is one of the most important keys to a successful rice crop. Early in the season, we must monitor soil moisture to determine the optimum time to drill-seed rice. The field must be firm enough to hold the farm equipment, have adequate soil moisture to germinate the seed, but it also must be dry enough to allow for the drill row to be closed with the press wheels.

This year in southwest Louisiana, early March rainfall events delayed drill-planting. The mid-March rainfall events that were forecast did hit much of the Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi rice production areas. These events delayed planting in those areas but

14 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

somehow dissipated over southwest Louisiana as it tracked north and west. Only sporadic events hit the area and an estimated 40 percent of the rice acreage was able to be planted from March 22-28. The following week allowed for even more acres to be planted, and the season seems to be off to a great start in Louisiana so far.

Once the rice is in the ground, we need to determine if and when we need to flush irrigate the rice. In order for this to happen, the producer must make sure that his levees are pulled. Depending on his situation, this can be done before or soon after planting. The first flush could be triggered due to lack of soil moisture needed to germinate the rice to produce an even stand. Or, it could be triggered due to the necessity to activate a herbicide. Ideally, we would like to be able to flush a rice field in two to four days.

Sometimes, in order to save a flush, producers often watch the weather reports and, if a significant rainfall event is predicted, he may wait for the rainfall event. If the rain does not come as predicted, the flush event will be triggered the next day. This can sometimes be a gamble and could lead to uneven stands of rice and poor control of weeds.

Once it is time to establish the permanent flood, it is ideal to have the pumping capacity to establish the flood in three to five days.

However, many fields may take twice this long to establish the flood.

One of the things that makes establishing the flood in a timely manner is nitrogen (N) fertilizer management. Typically, we would like to apply N fertilizer as urea or ammonium sulfate on dry ground and incorporate the N with the flood. The flood water stabilizes the ammonium form of N. If a flood takes more than three to four days to be established, gaseous losses from ammonia volatilization can occur. In this situation we recommend treating the urea with a urease inhibitor that contains the active ingredient NBPT. This will temporarily stabilize the N and reduce volatilization losses.

After the initial flood is established, water management decisions are continually made on a daily basis – when to start and stop irrigation to maintain the flood and whether to drain the field because of zinc deficiency, straighthead management or even rice water weevil control in a situation where an insecticide seed treatment was not used.

Once the call has been made to drain a field during midseason, this usually causes a domino effect where other management decisions have to be made. Like how dry should I let it get? How much N fertilizer should I apply when I re-establish the flood? How will this affect weed control? All are valid concerns when management decisions mandate releasing a flood.

Poor water management during the season can also lead to other problems during the season. The disease Blast is a prime example. If a field is allowed to dry, this often leads to a higher infection rate of the fungus. This is why we often see this disease show up first along the edges of fields an on high spots in the field.

One of the final water management decisions we make every year is when to drain for harvest. Hopefully, you will have an even stand of rice of similar maturity to make this decision! Typically, we recommend draining when one-half of the rice panicle is straw-colored on a silt loam soil and when one-third of the panicle is straw colored on a clay soil.

Once the rice is harvested, water management decisions are still not complete here in Louisiana and Texas. The next decision is whether to flush or immediately establish the flood for the ratoon crop, but we will save that discussion for another time.

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING

Control 6-legged pests Maintain field surface DR. M.O. “MO” WAY

SAM ATWELL

TEXAS Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu

MISSOURI Agronomy Specialist atwells@missouri.edu

When I discuss topics other than insects, I get a little nervous, but, finally, this month, I get to talk about six-legged critters! For starters, let me emphasize the importance of scouting and explicitly following pesticide label instructions. If you do not hire a crop consultant, you must inspect your rice carefully and frequently to make effective, affordable and safe pest management decisions. If you can’t identify an insect or you want more information about a particular insect, contact your local rice scientist or contact me at (409) 658-2186 or moway@aesrg.tamu.edu. In Texas, we have a complex of insect pests that attack rice from planting to maturity. The Insect Management section of the 2014 Texas Rice Production Guidelines describes these pests/damage and provides control options. The website link is: https://beau-mont.tamu.edu/eLibrary/Bulletins/2014_Rice_Production_Guidelines.pdf.

However, I want to make you aware of a relatively new pest management tool (not listed/described in the above bulletin) now available for Southern rice farmers. Fastac EC is a pyrethroid insecticide containing the active ingredient alpha-cypermethrin. Like other pyrethroids, Fastac EC has broad-spectrum activity to control pests with chewing and piercing-sucking mouthparts. Thus, the label includes aphids, chinch bug, fall armyworm, grasshoppers, rice water weevil and rice stink bug. Some Texas rice farmers tankmix a pyrethroid with their preflood herbicide to control rice water weevil.

This is a very effective and economical practice. We have found pyrethroids give excellent control of rice water weevil when applied close to the flood – preferably just prior to flood.

Rice water weevil is our numero uno rice pest across the U.S. The treatment threshold for this pest is very low – about three larvae per core (4-inch diameter by 4-inch deep plug of mud containing rice plants). I can walk into virtually any untreated rice field two to three weeks after flood in Texas and find rice water weevils. This is why insecticidal seed treatments can be a good option for control. My project’s research consistently shows significant yield increases when this root-feeding insect is managed. We also have data to show that when this critter is controlled in the main crop, increased yields are produced in both main and ratoon crops. Sometimes, the yield increase is greater in the ratoon compared to the main crop. You can access my project’s 2014 Entomology Research Report via the following link: https://beaumont.tamu.edu/eLibrary/Reports_default.htm. This report describes all my project’s experiments conducted in 2014.

From these reports, you can readily see the excellent benefits of controlling rice water weevil, as well as other pests.

Speaking of other pests, this year my project involves revising treatment thresholds for rice stink bug. Instead of employing cages, we plan to work in growers’ fields. We want farmers to optimize insecticide applications to “get the most bang for the buck.” Don’t overuse and don’t underuse, which means insecticide applications must be based on scouting, field history and other agronomic factors.

High-yielding, high-quality rice production revolves around good water management. An abundant supply of good quality irrigation water is needed for optimum rice production, and the Missouri Bootheel is blessed with an abundant supply of good, clean water.

Thirty acre-inches of irrigation water pumped per year is average for Missouri rice fields. Although our water supply is very good, close to the surface and relatively inexpensive to lift, it does cost money and fuel to do so. Most Missouri rice fields are precisiongraded. Our rice is normally flooded at the fifth leaf or first tiller and a two- to four-inch flood is held the entire season.

Prepare your fields now for uniform shallow floods: Yearly preplant field leveling or smoothing is essential for seedbed preparation, surface drainage and maintaining optimum flood depths. A landplane or float should be used to remove reverse grades, fill “potholes” and smooth out old levees, rows or ruts in a field. Rice can germinate under either soil or water, but not both. Therefore, maintaining a field surface that provides good drainage is important for stand establishment; controlling weeds, diseases and insects; maintaining desired flood depths; and providing a dry field for harvesting.

A water supply is adequate for a given field if you can flush in two to four days, flood in three to five days and maintain uniform flood for the entire season.

It’s rare, but we can have isolated water quality and quantity problems in our Missouri rice fields. However, it is common for old and not-so-old irrigation wells to be performing poorly, which could leave the appearance of an aquifer water supply problem rather than a clogged well. Knowledge of the quality and quantity of irrigation water is required for proper water management and high-quality, high-yielding rice. My water quantity information comes from the Missouri State Geologists with the Missouri Dept. of Ag at Jefferson City. They list nine wells across southeast Missouri (SEMO) counties with real-time monitors that allow you to see the aquifer water levels any time. We irrigate about 85 percent of the alluvial plain farm land in SEMO and about 95 percent is pumped from the ground.

Correct diagnosis of problems concerning irrigation water quality and quantity is critical for effective management. Water quality testing is an important step in diagnosing existing problems and identifying potential problems. Samples can be taken and tested at the University of Missouri Soils Lab at The University of Missouri Delta Center at Portageville. Several values are helpful in evaluating the quality of a particular water source. These include calcium concentration, bicarbonate concentration, chloride concentration, electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium absorption ratio (SAR). These can be found in (Table 9-7) in the UAR Rice Production Handbook. Also, iron and magnesium can be a problem.

For further information on taking a well sample, call Dr. David Dunn, University of Missouri Soil Lab, at (573) 379-5431, or Sam Atwell, Agronomy Specialist, at (573) 429-9141.

RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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Insecticide Seed Treatments

REST IN PEACE, WEEDS PRO IDE PANI L FLOWABLE HERBIC

Top-selling propanil flowable sets standard for grass and broadleaf weed control.

Most effective crop protection for contact and residual control of rice weeds.

Low use rate herbicide for dependable control of aquatics and sedges.

By Dr. Jarrod Hardke University of Arkansas

T

he three main insect pests of rice in Arkansas are grape colaspis (Lespedeza worm), rice water weevil and rice stink bug. Of these, grape colaspis and rice water weevil have traditionally been the most difficult to manage. The most damaging stage of both is the immature stage that feed on roots in the soil.

Management of a pest you can’t see is always the most difficult.

In recent years, three insecticide seed treatment products have become available for use in rice: CruiserMaxx Rice, NipsIt INSIDE and Dermacor X-100. CruiserMaxx and NipsIt provide the best control of grape colaspis, while Dermacor provides the best control of rice water weevil. Knowing which pest you need to worry most about is critical when deciding which seed treatment to use.

Much of the acreage planted to rice in Arkansas is in annual rotation with soybean – this is where grape colaspis infestations can be the most severe. Acres planted continuously in rice or in rotation with other crops are less at risk of grape colaspis injury.

If you have a problem with grape colaspis, CruiserMaxx or NipsIt would be the logical choices to control colaspis and provide management of rice water weevil.

Rice Water Weevil If rice water weevil is your only concern, Dermacor provides better control. Dermacor now has a label in Arkansas for use in waterseeded rice (dry seed only – cannot pre-soak

Proven performer at pre-flood using two modes of action.

“FROM THE PADDY TO THE PLATE”

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16 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

seed). In water-seeded rice, water weevil infestations can be severe as they are attracted to open water and the small rice seedlings can have difficulty withstanding the level of insect feeding pressure that can occur.

If choosing to go without an insecticide

seed treatment of any kind (not recommended), the window for insect management is very small. To control rice water weevil with a foliar insecticide application, treatments need to be made approximately seven to 10 days after flood establishment. Typically, leaf-feeding scars from adult rice water weevil can also be observed at this time, but not always. Once this window has closed, foliar applications have little or no impact on rice water weevil management.

Secondary pests can also be suppressed by insecticide seed treatments. CruiserMaxx and NipsIt can suppress chinch bugs, aphids and billbug (important in furrow-irrigated rice). Dermacor has little, if any, impact on those pests but can suppress stalk borers.

Length Of Seed Treatment Efficacy Insecticide seed treatments are not designed to last throughout the growing season. A reasonable expectation would be for these products to maintain some level of efficacy out to 35-40 days, but no longer. Irrigation and rainfall can have a direct impact on this – studies have indicated that multiple irrigation flushes (or possibly heavy rainfall events) can lead to the loss of the treatments earlier than normal.

Dermacor appears to be more stable and less prone to this effect and may maintain activity longer under these conditions than the other insecticide seed treatments.

Plan to insure your rice crop with an insecticide seed treatment this spring. In over 40 trials since 2007, insecticide seed treatments have provided a positive net return 80 percent of the time with an average yield increase of eight bushels per acre. Choose the product that is most appropriate based on your needs and product pricing. Keep in mind when evaluating price that CruiserMaxx contains an insecticide and fungicides, while NipsIt and Dermacor are insecticides only, and fungicides will need to be added.

Dr. Jarrod Hardke is a rice Extension agronomist with the University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service. Contact Hardke at jhardke@uaex.edu.

RF0415 Layout_CF 11/13 template 3/31/15 2:02 PM Page 17

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If you want to keep the weed death toll on the rise, select RiceCo for cleaner fields, healthier crops and higher yield potential.

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18 RF0415v2.qxp_RF 11/13 template 4/1/15 10:16 AM Page 18

RICE PRODUCERS

FORUM

Milling yield evaluation Rice farmers call for U.S. grading modernization.

R B.J. Campbell Rice Producer, Quilin, Mo. Chairman of the Board USRPA

The current system uses a “McGill #2” or “McGill #3” single pass laboratory milling machine, which went into service sometime in the 1920s and was written into the Rice Inspection Handbook (the official USDA manual) in the late 1930s.

18 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

ice is unique among the agricultural products grown in the United States because a number of its quality attributes are visual, based on color. Some of you may remember the big stink that resulted 10 or so years ago over the definition of “light stain.”

Growers were convinced that this was just another way for buyers to discount them more heavily.

The truth was that end users were unhappy with slightly off-color rice kernels, even if they cooked up white. This put processors in a squeeze, so they made sure they protected themselves, sometimes at the expense of growers. But the key point is that much of the official inspection of rice for quality and grade is done not mechanically, but visually with reference to “interpretative samples.”

Testing Method From The 1920s The most unique thing about rice is milling yield. This is logical as traditionally the value of broken rice was 50 percent or less than the value of whole kernel rice.

No other ag product changes its value as dramatically as rice, all based on the test milling of a sample. Not wheat, not corn, not soybeans. The value of a lot of rice at the farm can swing more widely for milling yield than for grade. So it would be logical to think that the determination of milling yield was a pretty scientific, repeatable and accurate process. If you thought that, you would be wrong.

The current authorized or official system uses a “McGill #2” or “McGill #3” single pass laboratory milling machine, which went into service sometime in the 1920s and was written into the Rice Inspection Handbook (the official USDA manual) in the late 1930s. But since rough rice is bought and sold using this testing method, everyone still uses it, even though the results cannot be replicated across operators or often even by the same operator.

Another key failing of the existing system

is that “degree of milling” or “whiteness” is another visual subjective assessment, not a test done in a widely available whiteness meter. Are we falling behind the trend?

In other countries, more standardized, mechanical testing methods have been adopted. In 2013, an ad hoc group of producers from Arkansas and Missouri, affiliated with the US Rice Producers Association, decided the time had come to change official U.S. standards. Meetings followed with USDA officials in Washington, D.C., and at the National Grain Center in Kansas City to determine a course of action.

New Equipment Has Potential The Brazilian rice milling equipment manufacturer Zaccaria was approached to engineer and construct a test milling machine the would handle 500 grams of rough rice at a time. This is the official sample size required by USDA, even though the trade long ago standardized on 162 grams, and Zaccaria’s existing machine, the PAZ-1, performed its analysis on a 50-gram sample.

Zaccaria agreed. The new machine has been undergoing testing at three USDA locations as well as independent sites between the traditional “McGill system” and the PAZ machine. All involved in the testing note that in return for a modest capital investment, the rice lab will instantly become more productive and handle more samples in a shorter period of time.

The results validate that the new PAZ system yields higher total and whole kernel results at higher whiteness values than traditional methods, and those results are repeatable and not operator-specific. This new equipment works on the same method as a rice mill itself. We are hopeful that the existing milling yield evaluation methods for rough rice will be revised and the buy and sell relationship will be more transparent and equitable.

Please visit www.usriceproducers.com.

RF0415 Layout_CF 11/13 template 3/31/15 2:02 PM Page 19

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Meeting Peak Demand Bulk bag filler speeds packaging at Kennedy Rice Mill

B

ecause the Louisiana rice harvest takes place primarily over two months, it places a huge demand on the area’s processing capacity. Any delay in moving the processed rice to market can result in severe cash flow problems for growers. To deal with this peak demand, Elton Kennedy, one of the largest growers in Louisiana, constructed a new rice processing facility to convert freshly harvested and dried grain, known as rough rice, into polished white rice ready for sale to customers.

Opened in September 2012 with the capacity to process up to three million hundredweight (136,000 metric tons) of rough rice per year, Kennedy Rice Mill took about two years to build and cost over $10 million. The facility fills orders as they are received John Cox, with Kennedy Rice Mill, shows a bulk bag of brown rice ready for shipment. The filler is rather than stockpiling polished white designed to meet increased demand for Kennedy Rice in bulk bags. rice in a warehouse. Ninety-five perThe polished white rice to be packaged in bulk bags is aspirated to cent of the finished product is shipped in bulk by rail or barge, but a growing amount of it is packaged in 2,000 lb (907 kg) bulk bags, remove dust particles before being fed into an 80 in. (203 cm) high, which the company fills using a Twin-Centerpost Bulk Bag Filler from 82 cu ft (2.3 cu m) capacity hopper mounted above the bulk bag filler. The rice flows from the hopper through a dome valve and 10Flexicon Corp. of Bethlehem, Pa. inch diameter (25.4 cm) flexible downspouting into the bulk bag suspended above the deck of the Model BFL-CFHW-X TwinBulk Bags Filled In Response To Orders “We usually try to complete bulk bag orders two to three days in Centerpost Bulk Bag Filler. advance. The bulk bag filler is located in the warehouse, so filled bags do not need to be moved until they are ready to be shipped,” says Bulk Bag Filler Designed For Automatic Operation Plant air inflates the 50-inch (127 cm) high bag for filling while an Marley Oldham, plant manager.

“Today, our business has expanded significantly, and we now inflatable collar on the fill head holds and seals the bag spout. A filoffer polished white rice, along with white and brown products, in bulk tered air vent at the fill head assures dust-free delivery of material to the bulk bag while providing a simple way to allow displaced air to bags,” explains Oldham.

“As demand increases, our bulk bag filler is designed to meet our exit the bag.

Except for manually connecting the bag spout to the inflatable future requirements,” he adds.

20 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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collar, the process is automated by a programmable logic controller (PLC). Load cells beneath the pallet deck send signals to the PLC, which automatically stops the flow of rice by closing the dome valve when the bag reaches its target weight.

The operator only needs to pull the bag spout off the inflatable collar and tie it closed. The filled bag and pallet are removed by forklift.

“Connecting, filling and disconnecting a bag takes only about three minutes altogether,” says Oldham.

Mill Provides Faster ROI “Flexicon’s representative, Robert K. Wilson & Associates of Houston, Texas, worked with Flexicon’s engineering department to evaluate our needs and determine equipment specifications and then helped supervise installation and startup,” continues Oldham.

“This new facility has created over 20 permanent local jobs,” says Elton Kennedy, who along with his daughter, Meryl, oversaw design and construction of the mill. “It also gives regional producers another outlet for their rice crops with lower transportation costs and a faster return on their investment.”

Flexicon Corp. contributed this article. Contact Flexicon at (888) 353-9426. Visit the website at www.flexicon.com.

Inside the Mill: The Rice Polishing Process Freshly harvested rice, known as paddy rice, is dried and shipped with hulls and bran intact to the Kennedy Rice Mill. This rough rice is temporarily staged in receiving tanks from which samples are taken and sent to the lab where they are graded for quality and checked for insect infestation and other contaminants. Once the rice has been catalogued by lab analysis, it is cleaned to remove insect shells, sticks, stones, mud, metals and other debris.

Milling removes the husk and bran layers, leaving the edible white rice kernel free of impurities. “Sheller” machines first remove the hull, leaving “brown rice” in which bran layers still surround the kernel. Then milling machines rub the grains together under pressure, revealing white, or “polished,” rice, which is sorted into three different sizes.

Rice comprised of the largest kernels is called Head Rice, while rice containing the second largest kernels is called Second Head. Rice containing the smallest size kernels is called Brewers Rice because, historically, it went into brewing alcoholic beverages. After being sorted by size, the rice is then sorted by color to remove grains with insect damage, stains and other imperfections.

NOTICE OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT If you purchased, sold, or otherwise traded July and/or September 2008 CBOT Rough Rice futures contracts from July 8, 2008 through July 15, 2008 as an opening or closing transaction or otherwise, inclusive, then your rights will be affected and you may be entitled to a benefit.

A settlement has been proposed in a class action lawsuit concerning the allegedly improper trading of July 2008 and September 2008 CBOT Rough Rice futures contracts on the Chicago Board of Trade from July 8, 2008 through July 15, 2008, inclusive. The settlement will provide $625,000 to pay claims from Persons who bought, sold, or otherwise traded the referenced futures contracts at any time from July 8, 2008 through July 15, 2008.

If you qualify, you may send in a Proof of Claim form to potentially get benefits, or you can exclude yourself from the settlement, or object to it.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (219 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604) authorized this notice. Before any money is paid, the Court will hold a Fairness Hearing to decide whether to approve the settlement.

Who’s Included?

You are a Settlement Class member if you purchased, sold, or otherwise traded July and/or September 2008 CBOT Rough Rice futures contracts from July 8, 2008 through July 15, 2008, inclusive.

Excluded from the Settlement Class are (i) the Released Parties (as defined in Section 1(k) of the Settlement Agreement), and (ii) any Opt-Outs (as defined in Paragraph 7 of the Settlement Agreement).

Contact your futures broker or futures commission merchant to see if you purchased, sold or otherwise traded the referenced contracts. If you’re not sure you are included, you can get more information, including the Settlement Agreement, Mailed Notice, Plan of Allocation, Proof of Claim and other important documents, at www.ricefuturessettlement.com (“settlement website”) or by calling toll free 800-918-8964.

What’s This About?

The lawsuit claims, among other things, that on July 11, 2008, Defendants held 100% of the reported open interest in the CBOT Rough Rice futures contract expiring in July 2008 and that Defendants, by July 11, 2008, had made large purchases in the rice cash market with the purpose and intent of limiting the amount of rice that would be available for delivery against the July 2008 CBOT Rough Rice futures contracts. Plaintiffs also alleged that Defendants uneconomically stood for delivery on their July 2008 position during the Settlement Class Period. Defendants deny any wrongdoing that Plaintiffs allege in the lawsuit and maintain that they have complied with their legal obligations.

payment of certain fees and expenses. The Settlement Agreement, available at the settlement website, describes all of the details about the proposed settlement.

The exact amount each qualifying Settlement Class member will receive from the Settlement Fund cannot be calculated until (1) the Court approves the settlement; (2) certain amounts identified in the full Settlement Agreement are deducted from the Settlement Fund; and (3) the number of participating Class members and the amount of their Allowed Claims are determined.

The number of claimants who send in claims varies widely from case to case. If less than 100% of the Settlement Class sends in a Proof of Claim form, you could get more money.

How Do You Ask For a Payment?

If you are a Settlement Class member, you may seek to participate in the Settlement by submitting a Proof of Claim to the Settlement Administrator at the address below, postmarked no later than November 9, 2015. You may obtain a Proof of Claim on the settlement website or by calling the toll-free number referenced above. If you are a Settlement Class member but do not file a Proof of Claim, you will still be bound by the releases set forth in the Settlement Agreement if the Court enters an order approving the Settlement Agreement.

What Are Your Other Options?

If you don’t want to be legally bound by the settlement, you must exclude yourself

by July 21, 2015, or you won’t be able to sue, or continue to sue, Defendants about the legal claims in this case. If you exclude yourself, you can’t get money from this settlement. If you stay in the settlement, you may object to it by August 3, 2015.

All objections to or requests to be excluded from the settlement must be made in accordance with the instructions set forth in the formal Mailed Notice.

The Mailed Notice available at www.ricefuturessettlement.com explains how to exclude yourself or object.

The Court did not decide which side is right.

But both sides agreed to the settlement to resolve the case and get benefits to potentially affected market participants. The two sides disagree on how much money could have been won if the Plaintiffs had won at trial.

The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing in this case (In re: Rough Rice Commodity Litigation, Case No. 11-cv-00618) on August 25, 2015, to consider whether to approve the settlement and a request by the lawyers representing all Settlement Class members (Lovell Stewart Halebian Jacobson LLP and Lowey Dannenberg Cohen & Hart, P.C.,) for an award of attorneys’ fees of no more than one-third (i.e., 33 1/3%) of the Settlement Fund for investigating the facts, litigating the case, and negotiating the settlement, and for reimbursement of their costs and expenses in the amount of no more than approximately $50,000.00.

What Does the Settlement Provide?

Under the settlement, Defendants agreed to create a $625,000 Settlement Fund. If the Court approves the settlement, potential Settlement Class members who qualify and send in valid Proof of Claim forms will receive a share of the Settlement Fund, after it is reduced by the

You may ask to appear at the Fairness Hearing, but you don’t have to. For more information, call toll free 800-918-8964, visit the website www.ricefuturessettlement.com, or write to In re: Rough Rice Commodity Litigation Settlement, c/o A.B. Data, Ltd., PO Box 170500, Milwaukee, WI 53217-8091.

RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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INDUSTRY NEWS Michael Danna Dies At 54

PR director for the Farm Bureau and anchor of TWILA following Wallace’s retirement in 1997. In 2010, Mike’s report, “Katrina: Five Years Later,” won him a Telly Award for best news reporting by an independent television program.

In addition to his television reporting, Mike was a contributing writer to several news and farm publications. Mike received numerous awards through the years and will be inducted into the LSU Manship School of Mass Communications Hall of Fame this fall.

Mike is a 2004 graduate of the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program.

Michael Danna, director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and host of the organization’s long-running agricultural television program “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture” died March 6, 2015, in Baton Rouge. He was 54.

In June 1985, Mike became the editor of “The Louisiana Farm Bureau News,” the official publication of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. It was there Mike was introduced to the organization’s long-running TV program “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture,” or TWILA as it was known, created by Regnal Wallace. Mike would report for the show for the next 12 years, after which he was named

The 2015/17 Rice Leadership Class recently enjoyed a crawfish boil hosted by Julie and Christian Richard at Richard Farms in Kaplan, La. From left: Hudgens Jeter, Nat McKnight, Nicole Creason, Greg Van Dyke, Collin Holtzhauer, Chuck Wilson, Dustin Harrell, Paul Johnson and Christian Richard.

CALENDAR • June 2-4: Rice Market and Technology Convention, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Cancun, Mexico. To register, go to ricemtconvention.com.

• June 9-12: RMA 116th Convention, Grand Wailea, Wailea, Hawaii. Go to usarice.com and click on the RMA 116th Convention under Upcoming Events to register.

• June 30: Deadline to send in nominations for the 2015 Rice Awards: Rice Farmer of the Year, Rice Industry Award and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award. See page 13 for details.

Please send any calendar announcements to csmith@onegrower.com.

22 RICE FARMING • APRIL 2015

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