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Far m & Gin Show recap
GREG SIMPSON, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Cody Fincher, left, topped all entrants in the rice division of the More Crop Per Drop contest. He harvested 8.7 bushels per acre-inch of water.
Experimentation paid off for Arkansas producers who competed in the “Most Crop Per Drop” contest — in knowledge gained about irrigation management and in cash prizes for the top winners.
Contest winners were announced recently during the 34th annual Arkansas Water and Soil Education Conference, held virtually this year. The top winners in three categories — corn, rice and soybean — shared in more than $30,000 in cash and prizes.
In corn and soybean, the first-place winners received $6,000 each; second-place winners received $3,000; and third-place winners, $1,000. The first-place rice winner received a RiceTec hybrid seed credit worth more than $10,000.
Prizes were provided by RiceTec, the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board, and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board.
“The competition focuses on maximizing yield by maximizing water use efficiency,” said Chris Henry, associate professor and water management engineer for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Rice Winners: 1st place — Cody Fincher, 8.7 bushels per inch, 240 bushels per acre (Mississippi County). 2nd place — Seth Tucker, 6.7 bushels per inch, 203 BPA (Drew County). 3rd place — Clint Boles, 6.7 bushels per inch, 211 BPA (Cross County).
Fincher, who farms in Dyess in northeast Arkansas, chalked up his win partly to the field he chose; the soil is heavy clay and holds water well.
“The biggest thing I did was just manage it a little more closely,” Fincher said. “My goal going in was to save as much water as possible. I caught rains, and I was able to go all summer, turning the well on four times.”
Though he did not use sensors, his technique was similar to alternate wetting and drying.
“Cody chose the right field and managed it efficiently in every way,” Henry said.
3 inducted into Louisiana Ag Hall of Distinction
Three fixtures in Louisiana agriculture were recently inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. They are former Louisiana Farm Bureau President Ronnie Anderson of Ethel; sugarcane farmer John Gay of Plaquemine; and Paul “Jackie” Loewer of Branch, a rice farmer who has been a strong advocate for the rice industry in state and national organizations.
A joint effort of the Louisiana State University AgCenter, Louisiana Radio Network, Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the Hall of Distinction honors individuals who have made significant contributions to agriculture or agriculture-related industries.
Jackie Loewer
Loewer has dedicated much of his career to helping the Louisiana and national rice industry maintain a sound foundation. He has played a significant role in the development of several national Farm Bills. Loewer played an integral role with the Louisiana Rice Research Board, serving for 26 years, including 12 years as chairman. The board funds research initiatives aimed at increasing the sustainability of Louisiana’s rice farmers. His advocacy for the rice checkoff program has helped fund these efforts.
Loewer has been a member of several national rice boards. He was a chairman of the USA Rice Farmers Board and chairman of the USA Rice Federation, which is considered one of the highest positions a U.S. rice farmer can achieve.
Ronnie Anderson
Anderson started his agricultural career in the dairy industry and transitioned to beef cattle. He has a herd of about 400 cattle and raises horses, hay and timber in both East Feliciana and West Feliciana parishes.
One of Anderson’s biggest contributions to agriculture was his tenure as Louisiana state president of Farm Bureau. He served 31 years and helped grow the orga-
Paul ‘Jackie’ Loewer
nization from 67,000 members to nearly 150,000 today.
John Gay
Gay farms more than 4,500 acres in Iberville Parish. His family has been involved in sugarcane for seven generations. Nearly every generation has held the highest level of leadership in the Louisiana sugarcane industry.
Gay has participated in variety trials on his farm, and the Gay family has funded a professorship at the LSU AgCenter Sugar Research Station devoted to this effort.
RiceTec raises $43,000 for charity
When RiceTec launched its newest charitable program — Harvesting Hope — the company had no idea it would be amid a time that nonprofits would be struggling to raise funds to achieve their missions.
Under the program, RiceTec customers who donated 1 acre of milled rice proceeds to their choice of a 501(c)3 nonprofit received one bag of seed at no charge for the 2021 planting season. In total, 27 growers gave more than $43,000 to their favorite charities.
For nonprofits like Personal Pep Rally, this donation meant covering half the cost of their Joy Mail Program.
“When someone agrees to partner with your passions, it is a real honor,” said Misti Coker, board member for Personal Pep Rally. “Our volunteers put in many hours to meet our mission and donations from supporters like RiceTec make it possible for that work to be done.”
Personal Pep Rally is an Arkansas-based nonprofit designed to motivate, encourage and educate those with a cancer diagnosis. They fulfill the mental health piece of a patient’s cancer journey by serving as a resource for patient education, providing access to counseling and having a scholarship program.
Additional charities that received funds included Aeroangel, Arkansas Baptist Foundation, CASA of Jonesboro, Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, Hunting for a Cure: the Price Hancock Foundation, Make A Wish, St. Jude and Wounded Warrior Project.
Bureau forecasts reduced water deliveries to Northern California
Based on below-average statewide snowpack, the Bureau of Reclamation recently announced reduced water allocations for nearly all Central Valley Project water contractors. Deliveries could change depending on precipitation received during the next few months, said Ernest Conant, Reclamation regional director.
The California Department of Water Resources reports that as of Feb. 21, statewide average snow water content in the Sierra Nevada was 54% of the Apr. 1 average. Current Northern Sierra precipitation is 52% of the seasonal average to date.
Moving into the 2020-21 water year, which began Oct. 1, 2020, 6 million acre-feet were stored in the CVP’s six key reservoirs.
Shasta Reservoir’s 4.5 million acre-feet capacity represents the majority of CVP water storage. Expected inflow into the reservoir is the basis of allocations for Sacramento River settlement contractors, San Joaquin River exchange contractors, San Joaquin settlement contractors and refuge contractors. North-of-Delta contactors (including American River and In-Delta contractors): Agricultural water service contractors north-of-Delta are allocated 5% of their contract supply of 443,000 acre-feet. Pursuant to Reclamation’s municipal and industrial water shortage guidelines, M&I water service contractors northof-Delta (including American River and in-Delta Contractors) are allocated 55% of their historic use or public health and safety needs, whichever is greater. Sacramento River Settlement Contractors are allocated 75% of their contract supply of 2.2 million acre-feet.
Rice husk residue can prevent uptake of harmful elements
When most people hear “food contamination,” they think of bacteria present on unwashed fruits or vegetables, or undercooked meat. However, there are other ways for harmful contaminants to be present in food products.
Angelia Seyfferth, a member of the Soil Science Society of America, investigates food contamination coming from the soil where the plants grow.
High concentrations of arsenic and cadmium are harmful to the body. Consuming low doses over a long period of time can even cause cancer, said Seyfferth, an associate professor at the University of Delaware.
Elements like arsenic and cadmium can be in different chemical forms depending on their environment.
Plants take up contaminants when their chemical form in the soil resembles a needed nutrient.
In rice, arsenic and cadmium uptake results from opposite conditions. Arsenic can be taken up when the field is flooded. Cadmium is more likely to be taken up when the field is not flooded.
Seyfferth’s work has searched for a way to prevent plants from taking up arsenic and cadmium from the soil. This is often done by adding soil amendments, which change the soil environment.
By doing so, researchers can help control the chemical forms and plant uptake of contaminants in the soil.
In this case, she found that adding rice husk residue to rice paddy soils can help lower the amount of arsenic and cadmium taken up by the plants.
This solution is simple yet effective. Rice husk residue is high in the element silicon, which is an important nutrient for rice.
The chemical form of silicon is similar to the form of arsenic taken up by rice plants when fields are flooded. This similarity helps “distract” the plant, which prevents it from taking up as much arsenic.
In soils where cadmium is a problem, rice husk residue helps make the soil less acidic. This helps to lock up cadmium in the soil. The silicon in the husk may also help decrease the toxicity of cadmium.
Angelia Seyfferth’s lab conducts experiments in outdoor rice paddies at the Rice Investigation, Communication and Education Facility at the University of Delaware.
