Rice Outlook Conference, Grain Quality and 2023 Offers and Tools

With the Rice Outlook Conference in Austin, Texas, less than a week away, we hope you’ll make plans to stop by the Horizon Ag booth (#16) at the tradeshow and meet our team there.

We’ll have the latest from the Provisia Working Group on Best Management Practices for PVL03 and the Provisia Rice System. We’ll also have the latest information about elite Clearfield® varieties like CLL16, which will be in high demand next season, especially since it has shown it is broadly adapted to perform across the southern rice region, from the Missouri Bootheel to the rice production areas west of Houston, Texas.

Other varieties of particular interest include CLL17, an early maturing variety from Louisiana that offers outstanding potential when it is planted early in the planting window and nitrogen recommendations are followed; and new CLL18, a high-yielding Arkansas-bred variety that will have a very limited launch in 2023.

We’ll also have information on proven Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CLHA02 and CLJ01, which have won a place on many farms in the South because of their performance potential year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their ability to achieve consistent results and return on their investment.

While Horizon Ag is at the Rice Outlook Conference, we’re looking forward to showing off the desirable grain characteristics of our varieties PVL03 and CLHA02 to rice buyers from key markets for our crop. 

We’ll be cooking these varieties, alongside ones from rice breeding partner Louisiana State University, to showcase the attention we’re placing on offering the quality of rice desired by important Latin American markets — long grain rice that meets their expected parameters for grain appearance and final cooked texture.

Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager, participated in the recent International Rice Leadership Development Trip to Costa Rica and Panama and came away with a renewed commitment to championing what it will take for the southern United States to again become the preferred provider of quality rice to these markets.

“Maintaining rice acres in the USA is important, so we can’t continue to turn a blind eye to the concerns of our customers,” says Dr. Walker. “I’ve been fortunate to be part of many efforts to understand the problems and offer parts of the solution. Continuing down the same path that we’ve been on for the last 10 to 15 years hoping that something will change is costing our industry from the standpoint of long-term viability. I long to see the day when we’ve answered the call as an industry and implemented practices and procedures to return the USA to its status of providing the Western Hemisphere and other parts of the world with an abundant, safe supply of rice that is desired by existing and new customers.”

If you are coming to Austin, please stop by and visit with us!

With rising interest rates casting an ominous shadow over borrowing costs, Southern rice growers can take advantage of 0% APR1,2 financing for their Horizon Ag rice seed and BASF crop protection purchases through partnerships with either John Deere Financial or Rabo AgriFinance for the 2023 crop. 

“These are the times, when interest rates and other costs are on the rise, that taking advantage of 0% financing can give farmers a significant edge when it comes to managing their finances and cash flow,” says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. “For years, Horizon Ag has worked with BASF to bring new technologies to market that give rice farmers more options, flexibility and opportunities to improve profitability. This season, we are again excited to work with both leading ag financing partners to provide options to help our customers be more successful.”

Both programs are available through September 30, 2023, with a maturity date of December 31, 2023. Contact your BASF Authorized Retailer or Horizon Ag Authorized Retailer for more information about these special offers.

Horizon Ag has created a mobile app that will be a valuable resource for rice farmers as you begin planning for variety selection and planting. 

The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a drill calibration tool, a calculator and other decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag Clearfield and Provisia varieties. 

This app also makes it easy to connect with retailers in your area who sell top-performing Horizon Ag varieties like CLL16, CLL17 and PVL03.

The app is available by searching “Horizon Ag” in the App Store or Google Play.

If you have any questions about Horizon Ag varieties, please contact your Horizon Ag District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. Additional information for elite Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com.

November is a Time To Give Thanks and Reflect

The arrival of November signals many things in Rice Country:

The end of another season, one that brought us the usual mix of challenges and opportunities

The last games of the college football season and hopes for a bowl game invitation for our favorite team

A little freedom to head to the woods for hunting or just to spend quality time with family and friends

Perhaps most importantly, it’s a time to reflect and give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy and often take for granted.

At Horizon Ag, we’re thankful for our farmer customers, consultants and business partners. We’re thankful we have an opportunity to work together in an industry playing such an important role in producing the food needed to keep the world fed.

We are proud to have supported you this year, providing superior seed and agronomic support to help you get the most out of your hard work and investment. Despite the challenges we face as an industry, we wouldn’t want to be doing anything else, and we look forward to standing with you when we do it all again next year.

We wish each of you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving!

With the end of the season, it’s time to reflect on what we learned from 2022 and how we can apply those experiences in 2023. 

We’re excited to report that Horizon Ag elite Clearfield® variety CLL16 again showed why it has earned a place on a large acreage across the South, proving the accuracy of its reputation as the “complete package” for yields, quality and consistent performance.

Among the comments about CLL16 from some of the farmers in our 2022 Demo Surveys:

“(This was) my first time to use CLL16. I was very pleased with the stand. It tillered out well and grew out well. Weight at harvest was good, and I was pleased with the quality of the grain. I am planning on putting CLL16 into my rotation for 2023.”

“It was the best-looking rice I had on the farm. I had some sheath blight that needed spraying, but that was pretty much the only issue.”

“There was nothing about the variety I did not like.”

This is a variety yielding 200-plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at a lower seed cost than hybrids. At Horizon Ag, our goal is to constantly improve, and we continually strive to be better, but CLL16 is truly as close to the complete package as we’ve seen in a pure-line variety. It’s got high yield potential, good milling package quality and rice export quality, good disease tolerance, good standability, good early season vigor and herbicide tolerance.


CLL16 will be in high demand next season, especially since it has shown it is broadly adapted to perform across the southern rice region, from the Missouri Bootheel to the production areas west of Houston, Texas.

PVL03: The Best System for Weedy Rice Control

In 2022, Horizon Ag variety PVL03 and the Provisia® Rice System provided many farmers with the strong overall performance needed in a particularly challenging year – high yields, impressive milling quality, blast resistance and unmatched control of weedy rice and resistant grasses.

Its performance was confirmation that rice farmers now have a proven Provisia variety that can more than hold its own against elite Clearfield varieties. We have heard from farmers across South Louisiana who said that PVL03 did what it needed to do in terms of high yields and actually exceeded expectations by providing good milling quality in a year where millings, in general, were erratic.

PVL03 is the Provisia variety many in the industry were waiting for, and it was planted on a lot of acres this year. The proof of its value is in the impressive results that farmers saw in their fields, and we expect it to go on even more acres next season.

Although there is another ACCase inhibitor herbicide system available for rice, it is important to understand it is not the same as the Provisia Rice System. PVL03 has good tolerance of Provisia herbicide, and the herbicide doesn’t need a safener. It’s the best system available for weedy rice. Farmers have heard all the stories out there this year about performance and issues with other technologies. The bottom line is we can’t afford to be safe on weeds.

It also will be important to follow the Best Management Practices recommended by the Provisia Working Group to minimize the threat of weedy rice outcrosses to the ACCase-inhibiting herbicide technology. Those recommendations are available in the Provisia Tech Bulletin on our site.

With interest rates on the rise, consider taking advantage of 0% APR 1,2 financing for Horizon Ag seed and BASF crop protection purchases, through our partnerships with John Deere Financial or Rabo AgriFinance.

For years, Horizon Ag has worked with BASF to bring new technologies to market that give rice farmers more options, flexibility and opportunities to improve profitability. Taking advantage of 0% financing can provide a significant edge when it comes to managing finances and cash flow.

Better Decisions With Our Productivity App

Horizon Ag has created a mobile app that rice farmers will be a valuable resource for farmers when it’s time for planning, variety selection and planting. 

The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a drill calibration tool, a ROI calculator and other decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag Clearfield and Provisia varieties.

This app also makes it easy to connect with retailers in your area who sell top-performing Horizon Ag varieties like CLL16, CLL18 (available in a limited launch) and PVL03.


The app is available by searching for “Horizon Ag” in the App Store or Google Play.

If you have any questions about Horizon Ag varieties, please contact your Horizon Ag District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. Additional information for elite Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com.

Recommended BMPs for the Provisia Rice System

Recently, ag retailers from the Coastal region packed the Acadia Parish Extension Office auditorium in Crowley, Louisiana, to hear the Provisia® Working Group’s recommendations for best management practices (BMPs) for limiting the development of weedy rice outcrosses to the ACCase-inhibiting herbicide technology.

“The Provisia Rice System is the only thing we have right now for controlling weedy rice that has outcrossed with Clearfield® rice,” said Dr. Connor Webster, weed scientist at the LSU AgCenter. “If someone brought a new technology forward today, it would take several years before it could be commercially available. That’s why it is so important that we maintain this effective tool and prevent losing its effectiveness at the rate we are today.”

Below are the recommendations Dr. Webster presented:

Command®, Prowl® and Facet® with grass activity control grass so that maximum coverage can occur with Provisia herbicide onto the weedy rice. Using residual herbicides for broadleaf activity PRE or DPRE (Sharpen®, Prowl, Facet, or Gambit® herbicides) will also reduce the need to tank-mix with the Provisia herbicide.

2.Be cautious of tank mixing herbicides that might lead to antagonism with your Provisia application.

Dr. Connor Webster, weed scientist at the LSU AgCenter, recommends having a least one application of Provisia alone, or two applications alone in a three-pass system. The size and population of weedy rice should always dictate follow-up applications.

3.Know which herbicides to mix – and which not to mix.

ALS-inhibiting herbicides can antagonize Provisia, although a second Provisia application 28 days after initial treatment can overcome much of the antagonism. Grasp® and Regiment® herbicides should be avoided for a tank mix, while sulfonylurea herbicides are better choices. For contact herbicides, Stam® herbicide severely antagonized Provisia activity, so propanil mixtures should be avoided. Basagran® and Sharpen herbicides antagonized Provisia activity at 14 days after treatment but were not antagonistic at 28 days.

4.Be diligent and clean fields up late-season.

If weedy rice is present, it needs to be taken out. This may mean using late-season herbicide applications, roguing, or spot spraying.

5.Consider crop rotation for success with Provisia rice.

Do not plant in the year following Clearfield rice or where an imidazolinone herbicide was used the previous year due to the risk of carryover damage from the herbicide.

6.Be aggressive in fallow ground and soybeans.

Use tillage and Roundup® herbicide with residuals to increase the time between applications.

Use only Provisia herbicide in Provisia rice.

Start clean, with burndown and/or tillage.

Let the size and population of weedy rice dictate follow-up applications.

Use residuals like grass and broadleaf herbicides for broad-spectrum control.

Do not mix Provisia with herbicides that have the potential to be antagonistic.

Apply to actively growing grasses, red rice and volunteer rice.

Make at least two (but no more than three) Provisia herbicide applications no later than panicle initiation.

Use proper carrier volumes of 10–15 GPA by ground and by air.

Only mix when weedy rice and grasses are small.

Don’t allow Provisia rice to go to seed in crawfish production.

Don’t allow Provisia rice to go to seed in a non-rice year, including fallow or crawfish fields.

Control weedy rice and red rice at pond edges with glyphosate or other chemical or cultural methods.

Avoid using Provisia rice for green rice/crawfish forage production.

Harvest in South Louisiana has been a struggle for the past week, with rain showers across the region. Still, early yield reports show promise of a great crop this year. The weather needs to cooperate before growers get too far behind in the schedule. I estimate that 20% or so is harvested in South Louisiana.

Get 0% APR From Horizon Ag, BASF and Finance Partners

With rising interest rates casting an ominous shadow over borrowing costs, you have an opportunity to take advantage of 0% (APR) 1,2 financing for Horizon Ag rice seed and BASF crop protection purchases through partnerships with either John Deere Financial or Rabo AgriFinance for the 2023 crop.

Interest rates and other costs are on the rise, and taking advantage of 0% financing can give you a significant edge when it comes to managing your finances and cash flow. For years, Horizon Ag has worked with BASF to bring new technologies to market that give rice farmers more options, flexibility and opportunities to improve profitability. This season, we are again excited to work with both leading ag financing partners to provide options to help our customers be more successful.

Both programs are available from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, with a maturity date of December 31, 2023.

Farmers can use their Multi-Use Account from John Deere Financial to purchase eligible products. Products may be purchased at different times from one or multiple Authorized Retailers. See full program terms and conditions at BASF-Grower-Finance.com.

You also can match the “right seed and chemistry with the right rates” through the 0% financing offer with Horizon Ag, BASF and Rabo AgriFinance. Purchase one or more participating Horizon Ag and BASF-distributed products and meet a total minimum sales value of $5,000 to qualify.

You can apply online for convenient processing by visiting Grower.RaboAg.com. Apply by mail by asking your BASF representative for an application, contacting Rabo AgriFinance at 1-888-395-8505, or emailing QuickLink@RaboAg.com.

You can also contact your BASF Authorized Retailer or Horizon Ag Authorized Retailer for more information about these special offers.

Horizon Ag Clearfield varieties like CLL16, CLL17, new CLL18, CL111, CL151, CL153, CLJ01, CLHA02 and CLM04, followed by Clearpath® herbicide or Newpath® herbicide.

Horizon Ag Provisia variety PVL03 — followed by Provisia herbicide and Facet® L herbicide.

Customers can also finance other BASF crop protection products applied to their rice acres – Beyond® herbicide, Sharpen® herbicide or Prowl® H2O herbicide.

Products may be purchased at different times from one or multiple Authorized Retailers.

See full program terms and conditions at BASF-Grower-Finance.com.

Rice harvesting is wrapping up in many areas of the South, and we’re seeing some exciting results from elite Clearfield varieties like CLL16 and, new for 2023, CLL18. For instance, a 1.2-acre variety test plot* near Wharton, Texas produced the following:

CLL16 continues to show exceptional yield performance throughout the South, along with outstanding milling characteristics. It offers industry-leading blast resistance and is a strong performer in both flooded and row rice systems.

New CLL18, which will have a limited launch in 2023, is a University of Arkansas bred variety that has consistently outyielded all other Clearfield varieties in university test plots over multiple years.

Congratulations to Missouri rice grower William Fisher, who correctly counted 13 stars in the Horizon Ag Field Day T-shirt “Count Your Lucky Stars” contest, and was selected at random from the correct entries.

He is the winner of the grand prize – a Tundra® 45 Yeti®  Cooler from Horizon Ag. Five other correct entries selected at random will receive a Horizon Ag Dri Duck Men’s Brooks®  sherpa fleece pullover.

1 Offer valid on qualifying purchases made between October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. Offer limited to Multi-Use Account Agricultural customers with an available Special Terms limit. Subject to the Multi-Use Account credit agreement and approval. Fixed 0% APR from the date of purchase, which may be prior to delivery, until December 2023, when the entire transaction amount is due in full. Regular Multi-Use Account rates will apply after that date. Offer is subject to change without prior notice due to unpredicted changes in market conditions. Changes to offer will not impact previously posted transactions. Offer may be limited to qualifying products. $5,000 minimum purchase required. Subject to merchant participation, see your local merchant for complete details. Multi-Use Accounts are a service of John Deere Financial, f.s.b. Always read and follow label directions.

2 Other limitations may apply. See full program terms and conditions for further details. Credit subject to Rabo AgriFinance approval, terms and conditions. Must be a Rabo AgriFinance authorized retailer. Qualifying transactions must be submitted for payment by the program dates noted above in order to receive the incentive interest rate.

This email was sent by: Horizon Ag, LLC. 8275 Tournament Dr., Suite 255, Memphis, TN 38125, USA

Beyond®, Clearfield®, Clearpath®, Facet® L, Newpath®, Provisia®, Prowl® H20 and Sharpen® are registered trademarks of BASF. All others are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2022 Horizon Ag. All rights reserved.

“Count Your Lucky Stars” Contest Winner - Missouri rice grower William Fisher

Missouri rice grower William Fisher correctly counted 13 stars in the Horizon Ag Field Day T-shirt “Count Your Lucky Stars” contest, and was selected at random from the correct entries. He is the winner of the grand prize – a Tundra 45 Yeti Cooler. Five other correct entries selected at random will receive a Horizon Ag Dri Duck Men's Brooks Sherpa Fleece Pullover. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Favorable Weather Speeding Harvest Efforts

Harvest across the southern region has wrapped up. The second crop harvest in Louisiana and west of Houston should kick off soon.

Fall preparation of fields to be planted in 2023 is well underway. We firmly believe the acreage of PVL03 will increase substantially in 2023, based on its performance this past season. With this being said, it is very important to start clean and stay clean. Winter weed control is an important part of this.

Additionally, there are advantages to drilling rice into a stale seedbed at a uniform depth. Larger weed carcasses can negatively impact seed-to-soil contact as well as uniformity of seed depth. Finally, with lots of vegetation at planting or a thick mat of dead weed carcasses, coverage of preemergence or delayed preemergence herbicides can be hindered. Therefore, fall herbicides can greatly help seed performance in 2023.

If you would like me to look at something or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Corey Conner
District Field Representative
337-249-9523

Rice harvest appears to be at least 75% complete in Mississippi. I’d guess that most of the remaining rice is ready to cut, except for a small amount that was planted very late. Some farmers have shifted to harvesting beans.

Yields in Mississippi appear to be holding up, but I am not hearing milling reports as most rice is going directly to on-farm bins. I have been very impressed with the yield performance and stability of CLL16. Test weights have been really good.

Harvest progress in North Louisiana is similar to Mississippi, if not slightly ahead. Yields and millings have been all over the board, based on the farmers I’ve talked with to this point. Row rice yields appear to be down significantly compared to paddy rice.

Please feel free to contact me if I can help in any way.

Tim Jett
District Field Representative
901-687-6362

Harvest has been moving right along with the great harvest weather we’ve had. The only thing that has slowed harvest recently is high moisture on the latest-planted rice. I would estimate that 80%-90% of the rice crop in the territory has been harvested at this point.

I expected the later rice that is being harvested to be more consistent in yield, but I have still been hearing yields that have been up and down, ranging from 170 to 200 bushels per acre. Millings that I’ve heard about so far have been mixed, ranging from the mid-to- upper-40s to 60s on whole basis. PVL03 has had excellent milling numbers so far.

The weather has also provided a window for fall ground preparation that we have not had in a few years. I have seen fields that have been burned and tilled, and even some fall fertilizer being applied. If the forecast holds, we should be wrapping up the rice harvest in the territory in the next 10-14 days.

William “Hutch” Hutchens
District Field Representative
870-273-9291

Fall has officially arrived, and with it comes football, cooler weather and changing leaves. The rice landscape across my territory is also changing at a rapid pace.

Although the harvest season took a bit longer to get started, growers in my territory are making up ground quickly. We are approximately 65%-70% harvested in my territory, and with the great 10-day weather forecast, they will get very close to being finished in the next couple of weeks. Yields have stabilized some in the later-planted rice and seem to be good.

As we feared throughout the year, fields with high grass pressure and low well capacity have taken a step back in yield. Both CLL18 and CLL16 have continued to yield extremely well across my territory. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns that you may have. Thank you for your continued support of Horizon Ag.

Chase Kagen
District Field Representative
870-273-9283

Harvest is moving along nicely in Missouri and northeast Arkansas. Rice yields appear to be decent across the board. Initial yield reports for CLL16 are very good. I have not heard enough milling reports to give a fair assessment.

We did have a line of thunderstorms move through the territory last Saturday evening, with reports of straight-line wind damage in Greene and Mississippi counties in Arkansas and the southern tip of the Missouri Bootheel. Unfortunately, the rice did lodge in spots, and some shattering was observed where hail was the worst from this narrow line of storms. Thankfully, the forecast looks great, and if it holds true, we should get a large portion of this crop harvested over the next two weeks. Please give me a call if I can be of any help.

Please give me a call if I can be of any help.

Jason Satterfield
District Field Representative
901-347-9715

Harvest Wrapping Up in Coastal Region, Gaining Speed in the North Delta

Rice harvest is all but complete in South Louisiana and on the west side of Houston, Texas. The east side of Houston has been plagued by frequent rains that have slowed harvest progress and are creating some challenges for overall crop performance.

As we move up into the Upper Delta, Mississippi farmers finished last week on their five-year pace of 44% harvested, whereas Arkansas and Missouri were both well below the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) five-year average harvest pace.

A cold front came through the Upper Delta Sunday and dropped temperatures and humidity. Early morning temperatures in the Memphis area have been in the upper 50s most days this week, with mid- 80s during the day. The seven-day forecast is very favorable for harvest, with slightly above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.

Corey Conner, Horizon Ag District Field Representative covering South Louisiana and Texas, reports that overall, the Coastal Region crop yields were good. The rainy harvest created numerous challenges, and the later-maturing rice yields dropped considerably.

Several thousand acres of Horizon Ag CLL16 were planted in South Louisiana, and those yields tended to hold pretty well, even in later-planted rice. Another bright spot has been the good milling from Horizon Ag PVL03 in a year where millings have been erratic. Overall, the ratoon crop is progressing and looking pretty good. We expect there will be some variability in the ratoon crop, as stubble management and rutting from the wet harvest will play a big factor in the final outcome.

Rice harvest on the Grand Prairie has clipped the 50% complete mark, according to Hutch Hutchens, Horizon Ag District Field Representative for the region. Yields have been quite erratic, and early milling numbers were well below average. However, a field of PVL03 that did mature during the hottest periods did cup heavy (45.3 lb./bushel) and milled outstanding (60/70). We are moving into later-planted rice that may have avoided more of the extreme heat we encountered during July.

Harvest progress in Mississippi is similar to the Prairie; however, yields seem to be pretty good across the board, says Horizon Ag District Field Representative Tim Jett. Though yields are mainly being estimated by trucks and yield monitors, test weights have been really good (44–45 lb./bushel) for CLL16. As you move into Tunica County in North Mississippi, harvest is not as far along, but the weather forecast looks like they will be able to make up some ground when the combines get rolling.

Harvest in North Arkansas began to make considerable progress this week. Similar to the Grand Prairie, the few yield reports out are all over the board, says District Field Representative Chase Kagen.

As you move into far Northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel, harvest is just beginning to get underway. Horizon Ag District Field Representative Jason Satterfield says it will be another week or so before we get a handle on the 2022 rice harvest there.

Just as commercial rice is being harvested, we are beginning to see research plot harvest data come in. PVL03 has been much better than expected. CLL16 has performed as advertised, consistently producing high yields regardless of geography. The limited launch of CLL18 in 2023 can’t come fast enough, as it is also ringing the bell in plot yields all across the southern U.S. rice growing region.

We wish all of our partners a safe, bountiful harvest and look forward to coming alongside you once again with our excellent slate of high-performing Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties.

Enter for Your Chance to Win the Count Your Lucky Stars Contest

Horizon Ag Count Your Lucky Stars Contest Details

The 2022 Horizon Ag field day t-shirt was created with several STARS throughout its design. We’d like to challenge you to count the total number of stars on the t-shirt and send that total to lsprout@horizonseed.com, along with your name, address and phone number. One lucky winner will be selected by random drawing from the correct responses to receive the grand prize – a Yeti Tundra 45 Cooler. Five other correct entries will be selected at random to receive a Horizon Ag Dri Duck Brooks Sherpa Fleece Pullover.

The Count Your Lucky Starts Contest runs from September 1 to September 16, with winners notified by email or telephone. One entry per person is allowed during the Contest Period. Complete contest rules below. For more information, call Horizon Ag at 866-237-6167. 

More information about Horizon Ag varieties is available at www.Horizonseed.com or from your Horizon Ag District Field Representative.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the United States and D.C. You must be 18 years and older. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Entry in the Contest constitutes your full and unconditional acceptance of these Official Rules. Horizon Ag LLC reserves the right to end the contest at any time. Winners will be selected from entries properly submitted and timely received by email during the Contest Period. During the Contest Period, you may submit one entry, and one entry only. The Grand Prize will be delivered or shipped to the winning entrant’s address or at the sole option and discretion of the contest sponsor to a recipient designated by the contest winner. Prizes are not transferable and are not redeemable for cash. By participating in the Contest, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Horizon Ag. By accepting the prize, the winner agrees to release and hold Horizon Ag harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, actions and liabilities of any kind in connection with the Contest or receipt or redemption of the prizes. 

If you received your “America’s Best Days are on the Horizon” t-shirt at either our Louisiana or Arkansas Field Day we now have a challenge for you that could result in you being the proud owner of a new Yeti® Tundra® 45 Cooler.  

Rice Outlook Promising Across Much of South

In the western region of Texas, harvest is progressing, and yields seem to be above average. The weather is cooperating with harvest, but the region is extremely dry, and making a second crop will not be an option for some growers. I believe that about 30% is harvested west of Houston. In the Beaumont region, harvest is just beginning, but the pace will pick up shortly.

Yields so far this year have been pretty good. PVL03has consistently been in the mid-40s to the mid-50s barrels-per-acre range. Early sampling suggests PVL03 will have package-quality milled rice, which is excellent news. The few reports of CLL17 that I have heard have been in the 50s (barrels per acre).

RAIN! We finally got substantial rain across a good portion of my territory in Mississippi over the weekend (7/30-7/31). There’s also was a good forecast for North Louisiana for rain Monday (8/1), and it would be very welcome.

The bulk of the rice in my territory is headed in some form or fashion. I’m starting to hear some talk of draining, and I’d guess that some of the earliest rice will start to get drained towards the end of the next week. It seems like it always turns into a good-natured race this time of year in terms of who is going to cut first. Looking at some of that early rice late last week, it was not as far along in maturity as it looked from the road. Walking out in it, the variability in maturity was more spread out than we’re used to seeing, probably a result of erratic emergence in the spring.

The rice does seem to be filling well and hopefully the weather will be cooperative going into harvest. Please reach out if you have any questions or if I can help in any way.

We finally received the rain that we were all looking for. I am hearing we received anywhere from 1-3 inches of rain, depending on what part of the territory you are in. It was welcomed with open arms and has taken some pressure off many farmers who have not had a break from irrigation in a while.

The rice ranges in maturity from boot to hard dough. I have seen only one field that has been drained in the territory, but I suspect there will be more not far behind. I think we are still a couple of weeks from the main push of draining, but many are ready to pull the plug. Remember not to drain too early. We have worked hard to get to this point, and we sure don’t want to drop the water before the crop is ready. We are looking for 60% straw-colored kernels on mixed to light soils and 50% on clay soils. I haven’t heard of too many people having to spray for stink bugs yet, and, with a lot more of the crop heading, hopefully, the pests are spreading out.

The season of field days is fast approaching, and, with that in mind, please mark your calendar to attend the Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day on August 18 at the new University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension facility.

Most of the rice planted in my territory has headed. Approximately 65% to 70% of the rice in my territory is flowering or has flowered in the last two weeks, and this is a bit concerning with the weather patterns we have had lately.

The grass pressure continues to be immense on much of the rice, and the conventional and aromatic varieties appear to have much worse grass pressure this season due to the drought stressed conditions early on. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for your continued support of Horizon Ag.

Thursday through Sunday of last week, my region received ample rainfall to the tune of multiple inches in most places. Areas around Jonesboro received 4-plus inches. That should help finish out some corn and give a much-needed break to the bean and rice wells. Besides some of the grass issues that finally reared their ugly heads in recent weeks, the rice crop is still moving along nicely. A lot of the grass problems were moisture related, and there was not much most growers could do about it.

The vast majority of rice in my territory is at or near heading. Thankfully, temperatures for pollination look to be in our favor compared to those experienced by growers in the southern regions of the state. We do, however, have a number of rain showers in the forecast, and that can pose other problems.

CLL18 is looking really good in our seed production in Missouri. It still exhibits a dark green color, even later in season, and is a really nice plant type overall. We look forward to providing more information about CLL18 at the Horizon Ag Field Day on August 18 at the new University of Arkansas research station located south of Jonesboro.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Grass Issues Reported in North Delta

Harvest has started in South Louisiana. A few fields were harvested last week, and I fully expect that many growers will begin by this weekend.

In the western rice belt of Texas, harvest has also begun, with a few fields harvested this week, and next week, they should begin to ramp up. As for the Beaumont area, rice is heading out, and harvesting should begin there in the next three to four weeks, although a few growers will be earlier than that.

I think that the crop has fared well up to this point in the season. We won’t actually know how good the rice is until it is in the bin, but I think we will have a good year with yields. All of our Horizon Ag Provisia® and Clearfield® varieties are looking like they will yield well. I am hoping for a dry harvest season for everyone and am definitely looking forward to hearing how yields turn out.

The earliest-planted and maturing rice in my territory is heading out. Hopefully, the weather will be more favorable than the forecast says. I’m concerned about the potential for sustained excessive nighttime temperatures over the next two weeks.

I believe we will be draining a lot of rice the first week of August. We got rain (7/18) in many places in Mississippi that needed it. Unfortunately, the rain wasn’t as widespread as everyone would’ve liked. 

Grass pressure appears to be higher than normal in Mississippi this year. In the last 10 days, I’ve talked to multiple folks about it and have started seeing it off the road more frequently than I did the weeks prior. It’s an issue, but hopefully it will not drastically impact yields. 

Hot and dry weather continues to be the theme for this summer. I have heard several people comparing this year to the summer of 1980, and we’ll see how it compares when it comes to harvesting. The rice maturity ranges from green ring to heading across the territory. Almost all of the midseason applications have gone out, and some people are making fungicide applications for sheath blight. 

Keeping water on the field during this drought, with the high demand from the crop, has been taxing. I have been seeing some late grass coming through the canopies around the territory, and this will be one of the grassier crops I have seen. Most fields are not too bad, however, and I believe the grass may be more cosmetic than yield damaging.

The little bit of rain we received the last few days was much needed and appreciated, but the heat has returned with a vengeance. Most of the early-planted rice ranges from stages between fungicide timing to already heading out. Rice that is heading and pollinating during this forecasted heat spell is very concerning for growers in my area. The later-planted rice is about 10 days or so away from boot, so there may be some hope for a break in the nighttime heat to help with overall rice crop health and production.

Grass has begun to rear its ugly head this season. The Provisia Rice System continues to show that it is a superior grass-control system and is also the least expensive program. There have been instances of competing systems having to use a third herbicide application in emergency situations to try to control grasses.

I have received a few questions concerning fungicide applications and timing for the most effective outcome. Early daytime applications and appropriate water volume are key to ensuring that the product reaches its target site.

Our demonstration fields of CLL18 continue to show that this variety, which will have a limited launch in 2023 and a full launch in 2024, has a lot of promise to continue raising the bar on yield performance without sacrificing quality. We encourage you to attend our Horizon Ag Field Day at the new University of Arkansas research facility in Harrisburg, where this new variety and other Clearfield and Provisia varieties will be highlighted.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for your continued support of Horizon Ag.

Beyond water struggles, the crop is looking good. We finally received widespread rain from Jonesboro, Arkansas, to McClure, Illinois, this past Sunday night, with rain totals ranging from two-tenths of an inch up to two inches. It had seemed like an eternity since we had gotten rain, and I believe the main benefit may be the lifting of everybody’s spirits. For that, I’m thankful.

The majority of areas received close to one inch on average, although there were those few spots that missed out and got less. It is another extremely hot one this week, with highs in the triple-digits and lows in the upper 70s and low 80s. Be careful out there.

I have not heard much in the way of disease thus far, which is great news. The majority of rice is past midseason fertilization. I believe we have made up some ground on maturity despite the late planting. On the flip side, let’s hope things cool down before most of the rice starts popping heads up this way.

Please give me a call if you have any questions.

Join Us at Our Arkansas Field Day August 18

We’re excited to see you in-person as we share the latest on CLL18, a new high-yielding variety developed by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Also spotlighted will be the outstanding disease packages, yield potential, milling and other advantages of our proven varieties like CLL16 and PVL03 along with news from our guest speakers.

See and hear the latest updates on Horizon Ag elite Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties at our annual Arkansas Field Day on August 18 at the new University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg.

Dry, Hot Weather Creating Challenges in Many Areas

Dry, Hot Weather Creating Challenges in Many Areas

Harvest will begin soon in South Louisiana and the western rice belt of Texas. I expect the first fields to be harvested within the next week to 10 days in both regions. A few fields in the Beaumont area will not be much behind that schedule, but the majority of the crop in that area is now beginning to head.

I have gotten a few questions on when to drain your field for harvest, but the perfect time is not the same for every field. Timing is dependent on the type of soil that you have and how well the field drains. On lighter soils, I like the grain head to be two-thirds or so straw-colored when the water is turned off. On heavier soils, one-half of the head should be straw-colored.

I would like to take this time to thank everyone who attended our annual field day on June 28th. We had a great turnout and I really do appreciate everyone who came out to visit with us.

The crop in my region is progressing rapidly and considering the weather pattern for the last 30 days, the rice I’ve looked at recently looks impressive. The few problem calls I’ve had were nutrient related. Fortunately, those issues were observed and addressed early on, and the crop has responded well.CLL16 and PVL03 continue to impress with excellent vigor, growth and overall uniformity.

Some of the earliest-planted fields of CLL15 are splitting the boot and racing to the finish line. Next week’s temperature forecasts are more favorable than what we’ve encountered this week. For rice that is heading or getting close to heading, it is not a bad idea to hold a deeper flood with the hope of keeping the canopy a bit cooler.

There are a few grass escapes in isolated areas. The Provisia® Rice System with PVL03, and varieties that will be released in 2024 and beyond, is a very good system to consider for grass control. Even if fields don’t have red rice or weedy rice, using this system in rotation will help with grass control and extend the life of both Clearfield® and Provisia technologies into the future.

If I can help in any way, don’t hesitate to reach out.

The rice crop has been moving along very quickly thanks to sunshine and high temps. Most of the crop is at midseason now, with a few later fields waiting to be flooded. I have gotten some calls about leftover grass in some fields that needs to be cleaned up. If you are going to try and get a salvage spray out, please be mindful of the cutoff dates for the chemicals you may be using.

Several fields are ready for the midseason shot of fertilizer. Midseason nitrogen should go out three weeks past preflood nitrogen incorporation and should be past green ring. One thing to be mindful of is the length of time it took to get a field flooded. Some fields are still trying to get to the bottom of the field due to the extreme heat and lack of rainfall this year. If it has taken you at least two weeks to establish the flood, I recommend putting the midseason nitrogen out once you get the field flooded. With that length of time, the rice that has been flooded the longest is ready for the midseason nitrogen and the last rice to be flooded has lost some nitrogen.

I have seen some flag leaves emerging on some of the very earliest-planted rice. We need a break in temps, and some rainfall would be very beneficial at this point.

Heat, heat, and more heat seems to be the forecast, with no chance of rain in sight. Most of the early- planted rice has gone to flood, but not all of it went according to plan, and several acres are struggling due to delayed flooding because of multiple circumstances.

This delayed rice is showing signs of grass pressure and uneven growth. The abnormal heat has made going to and maintaining a flood extremely difficult because irrigation wells are struggling to keep up. Flood establishment has finally occurred on the later-planted rice.

As a result of the unfavorable weather patterns and the pressure on irrigation wells, herbicide efficacy has proven to be a real issue, with grass beginning to rear its ugly head this season. As we’ve seen over the last five years of its being commercially available, the Provisia Rice System is the cleanest and safest system by far. There have been instances of competing systems having to use a third application in emergency situations to try to control grasses.

The demonstration fields of CLL18 continue to confirm that it is much improved over previous Horizon Ag varieties. Please consider making plans to work this variety into your farm for 2023, as it will be a very limited launch.

I have received a few questions concerning fungicide applications and timing for the most effective outcome. Fertility rate and fungicide ratings for Horizon Ag varieties are available by downloading our new smartphone app.

As a reminder, we have made a change in location to our Horizon Ag Northeast Arkansas Field Day. It will be held on August 18 at the new University of Arkansas research station south of Jonesboro. Please be on the lookout for information and invitations in the coming weeks.

Rain…what rain? For all the issues and problems rain dealt us this spring, we could sure use some now. It has been extremely hot and dry these past two weeks and that trend looks to continue through at least the rest of June.

Thankfully, we did get a little reprieve in temperature this past weekend, but that will be short-lived as things heat up again this week. The rice has taken off fast, especially in the fields that have been fertilized and flooded. Right now, it’s challenging to to keep up with pumping demand.

A few folks finished pulling the remaining levees last week, and that should wrap things up on that end. The crop is looking good and will continue progressing nicely with all of the heat units adding up. There may be some early rice in the region inching towards mid-season, but I am not officially aware of any yet.

Hot Weather Pushing Crop Along Quickly In Many Areas

Hot Weather Pushing Crop Along Quickly In Many Areas

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