Louisiana Farm & Ranch - Sept. 2007

Rice is the predominant agricultural crop in southwest Louisiana and typically ranks among the top three or four crops in Louisiana in value and acreage. While most of Louisiana’s rice acreage is in the southwestern part of the state, it is also an important crop in the northeast as well as central parts of the state. The other major rice-producing states in the United States are Arkansas, California, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. Some rice is also grown in Florida, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. A small acreage of transgenic pharmaceutical rice is now being grown in North Carolina and Kansas.

Louisiana rice producers are at the mercy of the weather of our state which can sometimes be detrimental to the crop even in the absence of hurricanes. One might assume that because rice grows in water, any rain would be welcomed by farmers. Some rainfall is good because it reduces pumping costs and replenishes surface water systems used for irrigation. Excessive rainfall, however, can be detrimental. Too much rain keeps the plants in a high moisture micro-environment that is an ideal situation for disease development. Rainfall and the wind often associated with thundershowers can be detrimental as rice is heading. Heavy rain and wind can damage the flower parts of the rice floret, which can prevent pollination and thus the formation of a rice grain. If this damage is widespread in a field, it will reduce yields. Rainfall and heavy winds as rice approaches maturity can also cause the stems to break over. This is referred to as lodging and, if severe enough, will lead to yield and quality reductions as well as significantly slow harvest.

Louisiana’s sub-tropical environment provides a good, but perhaps not ideal, environment for rice production. Rice grows best under cloud-free conditions in which maximum sunlight provides plenty of radiant energy to optimize the rate of photosynthesis, which is critical for all stages of rice growth and development. Cloudy days, which are certainly common in the state, will decrease the amount of radiant energy available. In those years when we have excessive cloud cover during the growing season, we normally will have lower than average yields. Optimum temperatures for rice production would be highs in the low 90s and lows in the 60s. Rice growth and development are adversely affected if the temperature gets much above 95 degrees F. High nighttime temperatures (above 75 degrees F) will reduce yields by causing a high use rate of stored carbohydrates, which will then not be available for later grain fill. Again, in those years when we have extended periods of high nighttime temperatures, yields will be reduced.

Even in those years when the environment is favorable for high yields and good quality, it is important to remember that rice production in Louisiana is highly mechanized, management intensive and expensive. All Louisiana rice is produced under flood irrigation. It is expensive to keep rice fields flooded, both from the costs of pumping systems as well as the fuel to power them. Rice production also necessitates the frequent use of aerial application of such inputs as seed, fertilizer and pesticides. To achieve economically viable yields, it is necessary to apply the proper herbicides for weed control, insecticides for insect control, and fungicides for disease control. In addition, rice requires high levels of applied nutrients. Tractors, combines, irrigation wells and all other machinery necessary for successful rice production are expensive, as is the fuel to power that machinery. The bottom line is that rice is an expensive crop to produce under U.S. conditions.

While the prices our rice producers receive for the harvested crop will fluctuate from year to year, the cost of producing that crop tends to increase each year. This is why a strong, fair and viable federal farm program is essential for our rice industry. The farm program is designed to support our producers during times of low market prices to keep the industry stable. What most people don’t realize is that federal farm programs help not only the agricultural industry but also every U.S. consumer. Our federal farm program is one of the major reasons Americans, on average, pay less for food than most other consumers in the world. It is also the major reason Americans have not seen food shortages in decades. In addition, a strong farm program also facilitates the huge volume of exports of U.S.-produced agricultural products, which is very important to the entire U.S. economy.

A new federal farm program is currently being written. It is in everyone’s best interest that we end up with one that is fair and equitable to rice farmers as well as all agricultural producers.

Permission granted 9/12/2007 by B. Leonards (Louisiana Farm and Ranch) to republish article on www.lsuagcenter.com.