Search
Very few things in life are consistent. That, in my experience, is even more true in rice farming. Our checkoff system, however, may be one of those exceptions. For decades now, our collective investment as rice farmers has yielded us greater research and promotion returns than we would have seen otherwise. I believe we have had another successful year in keeping this part of your balance sheet as a consistently sound investment.
The importance of contributing towards this collective investment, however, is changing. It is becoming more important by the year that we maintain every rice farmer possible in this family of growers that contributes $0.05 per hundredweight to rice research and $0.03 to rice promotion. Just like on our farms, that $0.08 total can’t go as far as it used to in buying power.
Inflation has been more than a buzzword this year. It has been a profit-robbing reality. Costs have gone up while yields haven’t seen the same great leap. Couple that with a volatile market and stagnated farm safety net public policies, and it creates a challenging time to be in the rice business.
That only makes our checkoff system more important. By contributing a minor amount collectively, we can improve our yields, savings and market access more than on a farm-by-farm basis.
Yield improvements certainly start with variety selection. That is why our board continues to prioritize the LSU AgCenter’s rice variety development program as our flagship investment of your checkoff dollars.
For example, CLL19 was commercially available for the first time in 2024 and has demonstrated an overall improvement in yield and stability over previous releases. Two new specialty type varieties were increased for release in 2024: Fitzgerald is a Jazzman, and CLH03 is a high amylose type. These varieties offer increased yield and stability over previous varieties in these segments, helping our industry adapt to market and consumer demand.
A new conventional medium grain, tentatively named Venus, is in seed production with a planned commercial launch in 2026. This variety has demonstrated consistent yield improvements over Jupiter and Titan and has excellent agronomic and milling characteristics.
Research programs in pathology, entomology, weed science and other agronomic practices have also made strides in screening products and production methods for us this past year. The board used the June meeting to pose questions from the cropping season to the LSU AgCenter researchers to provide timely answers in planning 2025 proposals.
From those discussions, we know disease and the lack of disease control options are a big concern. In 2024, one of the major diseases was Cercospora on rice stems and heads. LSU AgCenter pathologists began research on Cercospora symptoms in 2022, after observing that more significant damage was done by symptoms on the stem and head, rather than the narrow brown leaf spot symptoms that have been the focus of pathology research. There are still questions, but great progress has been made in understanding these symptoms thanks to your checkoff investment, both financially and through grower input.
The board is also trying to lead the way in getting the information produced by your checkoff back to you. We have initiated more use of social media. We are also working to implement more updates with our extension network so you can see the results your checkoff dollars are producing. You can help us in this effort by liking or subscribing to the Louisiana Rice Research Board’s social media platforms.
Ultimately, our checkoff system hasn’t changed. It is still providing Louisiana rice farmers with a high return on a small investment. Our challenge is to make sure that the same investment, with less buying power, is giving you more of a return than ever. Who is better at answering that challenge than a group of farmers? Because that sounds like the same challenge we all face every day — to do more with less.
You can help us by keeping your checkoff dollars in the checkoff system, by sharing feedback with board members and by consuming the information offered through social media and producer meetings.
John Denison, Chairman
Louisiana Rice Research Board
Serving as the 2024-2025 Louisiana Rice Research Board are bottom row from left, Alan Lawson, John Denison and Ross Thibodeaux. Top row from left, Lester Cannon, Kim Frey, Brian Wild, Connor Popeck, Eric Savant and Dustin Watkins. Not pictured are Dylan Benoit, Seth Brown, Charles “Michael” Costello Jr., David LaCour, Hunter Luquette and Charles Schultz. Photo by Frankie Gould
Rice Research Board Members
John Fred Denison Chairman, Louisiana Farm Bureau, Iowa
Alan J. Lawson Vice Chairman, Louisiana Rice Growers, Crowley
Ross G. Thibodeaux Secretary and treasurer, Louisiana Farm Bureau, Morse
Dylan W. Benoit Louisiana Farm Bureau, Welsh
Seth A. Brown Louisiana Rice Growers, Cheneyville
Charles “Michael” Costello Jr. Louisiana Farm Bureau, Bastrop
Kim T. Frey Louisiana Farm Bureau, Eunice
David F. LaCour Louisiana Rice Growers, Abbeville
Hunter K. Luquette Louisiana Farm Bureau, Abbeville
Connor T. Popeck Louisiana Rice Growers, Gueydan
Eric T. Savant Louisiana Rice Growers, Kinder
Charles H. Schultz American Rice Growers, Bell City
Mike Strain, D.V.M. Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Baton Rouge
Lester Cannon Commissioner’s representative, Baton Rouge
Dustin M. Watkins Louisiana Independent Rice Growers, Roanoke
Brian T. Wild American Rice Growers, Welsh
