News Release Distributed 05/29/14
CROWLEY, La. – Rice farmers can learn about research projects being conducted to help them produce better crops more efficiently at three upcoming field days in June hosted by the LSU AgCenter, including the Rice Research Station’s annual Field Day on the morning of June 25.
“We encourage anyone involved in the rice industry to attend the event to hear about the work we are doing at the station,” said Steve Linscombe, station director. “We take pride in our research and look forward to share what we have learned.”
The other two field days are the Southwest Louisiana Rice Field Day at the Fenton Coop in Jefferson Davis Parish on June 5 and the Acadia Parish Rice Field Day at the Rice Station’s South Farm on June 12. Registration for both begins at 8 a.m. with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. Topics to be covered by AgCenter experts include insect and disease control, weed management, fertility, variety development, an update on this year’s crop and soybeans.
The June 25 field day will start with field tours that stop at each researcher’s project for a brief presentation. The tours start at 7:15 a.m. and the last one begins no later than 9 a.m.
At the stops, presentations will be made on rice breeding, hybrid development, weed control, insects, diseases and agronomy. Also, LSU AgCenter engineers will demonstrate field use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones.
Information on more rice-related research will be available at a poster session.
At the program after the field tour, speakers will include Jackie Loewer, Louisiana Rice Research Board chairman, speaking on the board’s activities; and Michael Salassi, LSU AgCenter economist, who will speak on the farm bill and the current rice market.
Kevin Norton, state conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will talk about conservation opportunities for agricultural land, and Bob Cummings of the USA Rice Federation will make remarks about trade constraints and opportunities facing the Louisiana rice market.
Closing remarks will be made by Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture, and Rogers Leonard, LSU AgCenter associate vice chancellor.
Bruce Schultz