Thanks for Another Great Field Day!

Horizon Ag Field Day Showcases Season Outlook and New Variety Potential

With new Provisia® varieties and a grower-first focus, Horizon Ag outlines its vision for Southern U.S. rice.

Rice is in the Ground!

HORIZON AG REGIONAL REPORTS

PVL06 seed production near Powe, Missouri.

<h2>Northwest Arkansas and Missouri</h2>

After a long, hard fight, I’d say rice planting has finally crossed the finish line for 2025. Last week gave us the perfect window to wrap up fieldwork and get those final acres planted in the Northeast Arkansas and Missouri Territory — just in time for a heavy downpour (2–4 inches) in parts of Southeast Missouri late Wednesday evening (June 4).

The weather’s finally bringing us what rice loves: heat and humidity (or, as I like to call it, the warm fuzzy blanket). While this season might not be everything we hoped for, it’s definitely given us a masterclass in rolling with the punches. The grit and resiliency of our growers never fails to impress.

March Madness… in June?

This year’s planting has been unusually spread out compared to past seasons. So, let’s take a moment for fertility management for rice planted back in March.

If you’ve been spoon-feeding nitrogen (N) applications just to buy time before pulling levees, now’s the time to calculate how much N you’ve already applied. Subtract that from your total target rate to see what’s left to apply. Here are a couple of scenarios, values are shown in pounds of N per acre:

Goal: 2-way Split N Application

<td align="center" valign="top">Total N Rate</td>

<td align="center" valign="top">Spoon-fed</td>

<td align="center" valign="top">Preflood N Rate</td>

<td align="center" valign="top">Mid-season</td>

Goal: Single Preflood N Application

These tables show how to adjust your pre-flood N rate depending on whether you’ve spoon-fed early applications. Just a quick reminder: remember to convert pounds of N per acre into your nitrogen fertilizer source. For example:

Urea needed (lb.) = [lb. N recommended × 100] / 46

PVL06 Seed Production Update Watching the new Provisia variety PVL06 grow under seed producer Zack Tanner’s care has been a real treat. Most of it went in during late March, so it’s been through the same slow growth and wild weather as everything else. Even so, it continues to show promise — and we’re excited to see how it finishes the season.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out — we’re here for you.

<h3>Robyn Chlapecka District Field Representative <a href="mailto:rchlapecka@horizonseed.com">rchlapecka@horizonseed.com</a> (870) 672-1291</h3>

This CLL18 in Prairie County, Arkansas, is waiting on its fertilizer application.

We haven&rsquo;t had more than three consecutive dry days to get herbicide or fertilizer out in the last month and a half&nbsp;&mdash; until this past week. Growers took advantage of the dry weather and pushed hard to get rice to flood. They&rsquo;ve been pulling levees, butting fields and getting gates in just as fast as they can. I hope everyone made the most of the window we had last week (June 2-6) to get things accomplished.

Most of the crop is not at or past the final nitrogen (N) date at this point, and it&rsquo;s time to get that fertilizer and water on. If we can get preflood N out on dry ground and turn the wells on, that is the most efficient and best use of our N. That said, with the wet spring, many fields got preflood N put out on just firm ground and had the well turned on or caught rain. We could see some N loss this way, but some N is better than&nbsp;none.

I would certainly come back with a midseason shot of N at 100 lbs. of urea on these acres. I know of some fields that just would not dry up and preflood N had to be spoon fed. If this is the way you had to put your N out, then we recommend 4&ndash;5 weekly shots of 100 lbs. of urea. The 5th shot will likely be your midseason shot, and I would stop&nbsp;there.

Planting is all but over at this stage. There is some rice being planted here and there, including parts of Mississippi and North Louisiana but for the majority, planting is over. Some acres are getting replanted now since we are finally able to get back into the&nbsp;field.

Some of the March-planted rice will be at green ring in a week or two. Growers that were able to get some of that rice flooded on time will be thinking about midseason N very soon. Remember we want it to be 3-4 weeks after preflood N is incorporated (flood established) and at or past green ring. If both conditions are met, then we can go with our midseason&nbsp;N.

As always, feel free to give me a call with any questions. I am glad to answer questions and help with any situations you are having in the&nbsp;field.

<h3>William “Hutch” Hutchens District Field Representative <a href="mailto:whutchens@horizonseed.com">whutchens@horizonseed.com</a> (870) 273-9291</h3>

We hope you&rsquo;ll come to one of our two Horizon Ag field days this summer. It&rsquo;s a chance to visit with farmers and consultants in the region and hear about industry developments, variety performance and promising Horizon Ag rice varieties that will soon be commercially available.

The <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/news/2025-horizon-ag-louisiana-field-day-set-for-june-23" target="_blank">Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day</a> is scheduled for June 23 at Richard Farms, located at 632 Louisiana Highway 700, in Kaplan, Louisiana. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by presentations from Horizon Ag, university and rice industry specialists.

The Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day will be held on August 12 at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg, with registration also beginning at 4:30 p.m.&nbsp;

Both events will end with a fantastic dinner and time to visit with friends &ndash; the best way to wrap up a great field day in Rice Country. For more information, please call Horizon Ag at 866-237-6167.

Despite Challenges, Crop Is Holding Up Well in Many Areas

Texas Crop Has Good Potential, Planting Winding Down in Upper Delta

<h1>Texas Crop Has Good Potential, Planting Winding Down in Upper Delta</h1>

CLL19 is an early maturing variety that has good first and second crop potential in Texas and South Louisiana.

The 2025 rice crop is progressing exceptionally well and showing strong yield potential across many acres, with healthy stands and consistent early growth seen in most fields. Texas is off to a solid start with approximately 75% of acres either under flood or approaching permanent flood.

Early-season management has been key to setting the tone for what looks to be a very promising 2025 rice crop. Weed pressure has been a common challenge this season. Fields that missed early herbicide applications&mdash;due to persistent strong winds following significant rainfall&mdash;are experiencing increased weed competition. That said, timely field work and proactive follow-up applications have been critical in maintaining control.

In addition to weed management, flushing and fertilizer applications are well underway with more fields transitioning to flood each day. As we move forward, the focus will be on maintaining clean fields through flood and staying timely with all input applications.&nbsp;

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach&nbsp;out.

<h3>Hunter Brown District Field Representative (337) 546-7288</h3>

The 2025 rice planting season is winding down. At this point I estimate we are between 75-80% planted in the Upper Delta. What rice ground that is not eligible for prevent plant will have to dry out quickly, but the forecast does not appear favorable at this&nbsp;time.&nbsp;

Early estimates show that some counties in the Upper Delta could prevent plant close to half of their original intended rice acres. The number of replants this year was not as high as initially speculated, largely due to the maturity of the seed prior to the flood.&nbsp;

The early planted rice that survived the flood has received most herbicide applications or will receive when the weather allows and should be going to flood within the next week to 10 days. As we begin going to flood, it is a crucial time to look at your fertility program and make sure we are applying at least 275 lbs. of urea (75%) of the total required nitrogen on the pre-flood application followed by the remaining 75-100 lbs. of urea (25%) at mid-season.&nbsp;

The later-planted rice is beginning to emerge and spike through the ground. Most of this rice seems to have grown rapidly due to the increase in soil temperatures. There were a few acres of rice planted over this past weekend and although it &ldquo;feels&rdquo; late, this rice was still planted within the optimum window to achieve top end&nbsp;yields.

Early planted CLL18 in the North Delta is ready for fertilizer and flood.

I have received several phone calls concerning variety selection for the later round of planting, and in my experience, it is best to plant full season maturing varieties with conventional stature the later we get into the planting season. Some of the varieties I would recommend would be <a href="https://horizonseed.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07&amp;id=152325910f&amp;e=42c2acb311" target="_blank">CLL16</a> and <a href="https://horizonseed.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07&amp;id=11cd4e6971&amp;e=42c2acb311" target="_blank">CLL18</a> while avoiding CLL19 at this time.

Thank you for your partnership with Horizon Ag. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact any of our&nbsp;staff.

<h3>Chase Kagen District Field Representative (870) 273-9283</h3>

Hear from Missouri rice farmer <a href="https://horizonseed.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07&amp;id=8a9b59cbcd&amp;e=42c2acb311" target="_blank">Zack Tanner regarding what he expects from PVL06</a>, a new variety from University of Arkansas rice breeders that is in seed production on his farm this season. PVL06, along with new PVL05 from the Louisiana AgCenter rice breeding program, is expected to be commercially available in a limited quantity in&nbsp;2026.&nbsp;

The new varieties will join proven Provisia performers like PVL03 and&nbsp;PVL04.&nbsp;

We hope you&rsquo;ll come to one of our two Horizon Ag field days this summer. It&rsquo;s a chance to visit with farmers and consultants in the region and hear about industry developments, variety performance and promising Horizon Ag rice varieties which will soon be commercially available.

The <a href="https://horizonseed.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07&amp;id=06d4ffd424&amp;e=42c2acb311" target="_blank">Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day</a> is scheduled for June 23 at Richard Farms, located at 632 Louisiana Highway 700, in Kaplan, Louisiana.&nbsp;

The Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day will be held on August 12 at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg. More details will be available closer to the&nbsp;event.

The <a href="https://onelink.to/zrpbkn" target="_blank">Horizon Ag Productivity app</a> provides easy access to critical management recommendations and tools, including seeding rates, fertilizer recommendations and other suggested management practices to help you get the most out of our varieties. It's available in the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/horizon-ag/id1614880264" target="_blank">App&nbsp;Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.horizonag.app" target="_blank">Google&nbsp;Play</a>.

Check out the Horizon Ag <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/HorizonAgSeeds?utm_source=HorizonAg&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=regional-report&utm_id=06272024&utm_content=facebook-hypertext">Facebook</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/horizonagrice?utm_source=HorizonAg&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=regional-report&utm_id=06272024&utm_content=instagram-hypertext">Instagram</a> pages for industry news, product updates and good conversations about rice and the industry. We’d like you to join our “community” as we share the latest from rice country.

Arkansas Rice Grower's Perspective on Clearfield CLL19

CLL19 Stand Out in Arkansas

Prairie County, Arkansas farm manager Darren Walker says CLL19, a semi-dwarf Clearfield variety developed by the LSU AgCenter breeding program, was impressive in its first year of production on Wingmead Farms, providing high-yield potential, blast resistance and the advantages of planting an early-maturing variety to spread out planting and harvest timing. 

2025 Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day Set for June 23

For Immediate Release

KAPLAN, LOUISIANA &ndash; The 2025 Horizon Ag Field Day, scheduled for June 23 at Richard Farms in Kaplan, is the place to be for updates on the top rice varieties planted in Louisiana this season as well as new Provisia&reg;&nbsp;lines expected to be available in 2026.

Farmers can hear from industry and university specialists how high-yielding Clearfield&reg;&nbsp;and Provisia varieties, like CLL19, PVL03 and CLL16, are faring this year and best practices for maximizing yield potential the last weeks of the season.

In addition, it&rsquo;s a chance to see promising new PVL05, from the LSU rice breeding program, and PVL06, from University of Arkansas breeders, planted in strips on the farm beside current Provisia varieties PVL03 and PVL04. Both PVL05 and PVL06 are expected to have a limited launch in 2026.

&ldquo;This annual event always draws a good crowd, because of the great information shared by our speakers, and the opportunity it gives attendees to talk to each other about what they are seeing in fields across Louisiana,&rdquo; says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag CEO. &ldquo;I think there is also a lot of interest in the new Provisia varieties and how that technology is helping more and more farmers in the region get control of herbicide resistant weedy rice and grasses.&rdquo;

Registration for the field day starts at 4:30 p.m. on June 23, and will be followed by presentations from Horizon Ag, LSU AgCenter and industry specialists.

The event will end with a fantastic dinner and time to visit with friends &mdash; &ldquo;the best way to conclude a field day in rice country,&rdquo; says Walker.

More information about the field day is available by calling Horizon Ag at 866-237-6167.

FIELD DAY FACTS AT A GLANCE:

<td style="width: 60px; vertical-align: top;">Where:</td>

Richard Farms 5632 Louisiana Highway 700 Kaplan, LA 70548

Media Contact

<a href="mailto:Scott.mcclure@brightonagency.com">Scott.mcclure@brightonagency.com</a>

Clearfield&reg;&nbsp;and Provisia&reg;&nbsp;are registered trademarks of BASF. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. &copy; 2025 Horizon Ag, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Farmers can hear from industry and university specialists how high-yielding Clearfield® and Provisia varieties, like CLL19, PVL03 and CLL16, are faring this year and best practices for maximizing yield potential the last weeks of the season.

Planting Makes Gains After April Rain Delays

<h1>Planting Makes Gains After April Rain Delays</h1>

The rice crop is up and growing in fields across North Louisiana and Mississippi.

<h2>North Louisiana and Mississippi</h2>

North Louisiana rice planting is coming along nicely. We are around 70% planted. The bulk of the rice was planted after the big rain system that came through during the first week of April and it has not slowed down since. The most popular medium grain variety this year is <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/clm04">CLM04</a>, and the most popular long grain is <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/cll16">CLL16</a>. With the 10-day weather forecast looking promising, I hope to see the rest of the rice going into the ground.

Mississippi has had a pretty good spring for planting. Similar to north Louisiana, it is roughly 70% planted. We had some planters running toward the end of March but had to stop because of the big rain showers in the first week of April. The South Delta caught about 4-7 inches of rain while the North Delta received 7-12 inches that still has some farmers trying to get water off of their fields.

After that wet first week of April, we had warm weather with strong winds which dried out the fields fast. This caused some problems with the top layer of soil crusting over, making it hard for rice to emerge. After that big rain it was like a switch was flipped and you could not turn a corner without seeing a planter running. <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/cll18">CLL18</a> is the most popular Horizon Ag variety this year in Mississippi, followed by <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/cll19">CLL19</a>.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or email me at any time.

<h3>Garland Melton District Field Representative (662) 671-2465</h3>

CLL18 rocking right along near Gobbler, Missouri.

<h2>Northeast Arkansas and Missouri</h2>

The end of March teased us with warm temperatures and favorable planting conditions which sent many of the growers off to the races with planting. The April 2-3 rainfall event slowed planting progress across the Northeast Arkansas and Missouri territories while also sending some acres underwater for a significant period.

Despite dodging rain throughout April, Missouri and parts of Northeast Arkansas are rocking roughly at 75% planted. The Black and Cache River acres are estimated at 40% planted. The USDA-NASS Crop Progress report will be interesting to see early this week.

My Horizon Ag counterpart Chase previously mentioned the challenges of ground crusting and fighting blackbird damage in some of the March-planted rice that went underwater. Surprisingly, only a few acres triggered replanting due to these conditions.

Seedling emergence delayed due to ground crusting conditions near Bernie, Missouri.

The main challenge came from deciding when to make the call to replant because &lsquo;just one more rain&rsquo; could potentially change the story. Luckily, the growers needing to replant were still in that optimal yield window. We could benefit from missing the rain in the forecast in both of my territories to finish up planting. The warmer temperatures this week will be greatly welcomed.

I was able to visit the Horizon Ag seed production fields in Missouri last week. The March planted rice had reached 2-leaf, with plans for spray applications to go out once the wind calmed down. The rest of the production had finished up planting the week of April 14-19. Our new variety, PVL06, looked promising. We&rsquo;re excited to watch its progress through the season.

Nitrogen(N) fertility programs will be rolling out before too long. Flood rice is simple; most of my territory falls into this management system. In silt loam soils, a two-way split approach of 75-80% of the total N units applied ahead of permanent flood establishment, followed by the remaining N units at mid-season is recommended. The later application should be, at a minimum, 28 days after the preflood N application AND internode elongation (IE) has begun. For clay soils, the same application approach should be implemented with the only difference being to increase preflood rate by 30 units.

In contrast, furrow irrigated rice (FIR) is more intensely managed. There are two options that I consider least risky; first a three-way split can optimize yield across all extremes in FIR fields (as in, upper driest to bottom flooded). Start with applying 46 units of N at the 5-6-leaf growth stage, with the second application coming 10-14 days later with an additional 46 units of N, with the last application 7 days later of the remaining 46 units.

The second option is to apply &frac12; of a single preflood recommended N rate before irrigation followed by two additional N applications of &frac14; of the recommended N rate each spaced 7 days apart. On clay soils, following soybeans, splitting the total in-season N rate into three applications provides the optimal yield when managing clay soils. Start with 75 units of N at 5-6-leaf, followed by a second application of 75 units 14 days later, and the last application of 46 units 7 days later to finish it up. The three-way split is by far my favorite management style, no matter the soil texture.

Seed production CLL18 on Zack Tanner’s farm near Campbell, Missouri.

I want to end by saying thank you for all the support I&rsquo;ve received from the Horizon team and in my encounters with growers and retailers while adjusting to my new role. I&rsquo;m extremely blessed to have the opportunity. Feel free to contact me anytime!

<h3>Robyn Chlapecka District Field Representative (870) 672-1291</h3>

The <a href="https://onelink.to/zrpbkn" target="_blank">Horizon Ag Productivity app</a> provides easy access to critical management recommendations and tools, including seeding rates, fertilizer recommendations and other suggested management practices to help you get the most out of our varieties. Updated for 2025, the app is available in the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/horizon-ag/id1614880264" target="_blank">App Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.horizonag.app" target="_blank">Google Play</a>.

Weather Issues Hampering Rice in Many Areas

<h1>Weather Issues Hampering Rice in Many Areas</h1>

CLL19 is one of the top varieties in Louisiana this season

Planting in South Louisiana is approximately 90% complete. There were some fields that were planted in late February, but most of the planting really kicked off around March 10. The majority of the crop was planted from that time until the end of the month. PVL03 and CLL19 are the two most popular Horizon Ag varieties that have been planted in my region.&nbsp;

We had a few rounds of severe weather and higher than normal winds in certain areas during the first week of April. This came just after the majority of the region received 5 inches of rain and some areas up to 13 inches. Excess water and high winds are not a good combination for newly-seeded rice. Areas of fields that could not drain, or where the wind had the water stacked up, really took a beating. It is taking a little time for this rice to recover but we are seeing progress and are hopeful this will be our worst weather event of the year.

Herbicide applications began this week and will continue as long as weather conditions are favorable. I expect to see permanent flood established on some of the fields within the next two weeks.

Please mark your calendars &ndash; our Annual Louisiana Field Day is scheduled for Monday, June 23, 2025 in Kaplan. We look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you for your continued support of Horizon Ag.

<h3>Corey Conner District Field Representative (337) 249-9523</h3>

Heavy rains in the North Delta have flooded out many rice fields.

What a spring it has been for the Upper Delta rice region. Depending on the location, there have been major challenges establishing stands of rice, whether conditions were too dry, flooded out, fields crusted over or destroyed by blackbirds.

Coupled with these adversities and the lack of replant seed, growers have endured additional financial stresses in 2025. Farmers here started the year off with a less than desirable economic outlook and the compounding floods have made it even more challenging at this point.

Most of the river bottom acres in the Delta have spent 7-plus days underwater, and it appears water will stay up for at least 10 more days. For these particular fields, it will be the end of April or the first week of May before growers are able to get back into them. This has expedited talk around the potential of PP acres in these low-lying areas.

Some of the rice where flooding is not an issue still faces challenges, such as the ground crusting over before the rice emerges or blackbirds moving in and damaging the seed. Some farmers also need a shower within the next 7 days to avoid having to flush the rice to establish a stand.

There are some bright spots in the Upper Delta, however. Although it appears we are behind on planting, data shows we are on par with our normal progress to date. Much of the early-planted rice has emerged, and if the forecast holds true, more rice will get planted this week.

The rice that has emerged seems to have a good stand and will soon be ready for the first application of NewPath&reg; herbicide or Provisia&reg; herbicide. The forecast for this rice is favorable as the highs are expected in the 80s for the next week and this will help give the rice a much-needed kickstart, as much of it has endured water and chemical stress.

Some early-planted CLM05 has been slow to emerge, and I have talked with a few growers concerning the increased time it has taken. There are a few outside factors that have influenced emergence, including cool temperatures and lack of moisture until the recent 10-inches of rain. With warm weather this week and moisture, I am optimistic this rice will emerge soon.

As always, thank you for your partnership with Horizon Ag, and thank you to our growers who trust us with their rice seed demands. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Crusted over fields in some areas have prevented rice from emerging.

Blackbird damage has been a significant problem for farmers this season, as shown in this field in North Central Arkansas.

Robyn Chlapecka, Horizon Ag District Field Representative for the Missouri Bootheel and Northeast Arkansas, joined a recent photo shoot near Bernie, Missouri where new PVL06 was being planted for seed production. She says the variety, which is expected to have a limited launch next season, has a strong pedigree and should be a great fit in the region.

Chlapecka is experiencing her first planting season as a Horizon Ag District Field Representative and says it is exciting to see planting gaining momentum in the Bootheel of Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.

She says there has been a lot of farmer interest in planting high-yield potential Clearfield and Provisia varieties this spring.

Regardless of where you grow rice in the South, we have a Horizon Ag <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/contact">District Field Representative</a> on the ground and ready to provide you with the information and support you need to manage our varieties for top-end yield potential.&nbsp;

Northeast Arkansas/Missouri Robyn Chlapecka District Field Representative <a href="mailto:rchlapecka@horizonseed.com">rchlapecka@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(870) 672-1291">(870) 672-1291</a>

North Central Arkansas Chase Kagen District Field Representative <a href="mailto:ckagen@horizonseed.com">ckagen@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(870) 273-9283">(870) 273-9283</a>

Grand Prairie Arkansas William "Hutch" Hutchens District Field Representative <a href="mailto:whutchens@horizonseed.com">whutchens@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(870) 273-9291">(870) 273-9291</a>

Mississippi/North Louisiana Garland Melton District Field Representative <a href="mailto:gmelton@horizonseed.com">gmelton@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(662) 671-2465">(662) 671-2465</a>

South Central Louisiana Corey Conner District Field Representative <a href="mailto:cconner@horizonseed.com">cconner@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(337) 249-9523">(337) 249-9523</a>

Texas Hunter Brown District Field Representative <a href="mailto:hbrown@horizonseed.com">hbrown@horizonseed.com</a> <a href="tel:(337) 546-7288">(337) 546-7288</a>

The <a href="https://onelink.to/zrpbkn" target="_blank">Horizon Ag Productivity app</a> provides easy access to critical management recommendations and tools, including seeding rates, fertilizer recommendations and other suggested management practices to help you get the most out of our varieties. Updated for 2025, the app is available in the App Store and on Google Play.

Whether you are a long-time Horizon Ag customer or growing our Clearfield and Provisia varieties for the first time, the Horizon Ag Productivity App can be a valuable tool. Available in the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/horizon-ag/id1614880264" target="_blank">App&nbsp;Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.horizonag.app" target="_blank">Google&nbsp;Play</a>.

Dry Weather Aids Planting, But Showers Expected In Some Areas

<h1>Dry Weather Aids Planting, But Showers Expected In Some Areas</h1>

Tremendous progress has been made with planting this spring thanks to good weather.

On the west side of Texas, we're about 80% finished with planting, while on the east side, we're around 60% planted. According to the latest crop report from the USDA for March 17&ndash;23, planting has reached 36%, which is up 16 points from last year and 23 points from the average.&nbsp;

We've been able to progress efficiently due to favorable weather conditions over the last couple of weeks in March. Farmers have been actively planting, flushing, and spraying fields. However, we started to see some areas on the west side lose moisture, and we could have used a good rain before the most recent showers we received. Overall, we've experienced good seed emergence, and I'm very satisfied with our 2025 crop so&nbsp;far.

Overall, the Texas rice crop is experiencing good emergence.

With the recent rain, farmers on the west side of Texas received about 3–5 inches, while the east side received less and experienced more spotty rain showers. This is beneficial as it allows them to get back to planting by the middle of the week, and the acres that were planted received enough rainfall to get the rice going. That said, we need to pray for consistently good weather conditions, and I'm looking forward to seeing how our varieties perform as we progress through the season. Contact me with any questions or concerns.

Planting season started in full swing the past couple of weeks across central and south Arkansas. March has been one of the driest we can remember, and some growers have already planted nearly half of their rice crop. I think my region is averaging around 10–15% planted so far.

Although planting in the Grand Prairie has made good progress, like this rice being planted in Roe, Arkansas, wet weather is expected to slow things down.

There has been a ton of ground preparation happening, with many getting last season&rsquo;s rice straw worked up and smoothed off. Those who chose to keep working on ground preparation made considerable strides and have most all their ground ready for any crop they choose to plant.

The forecast for April 2&ndash;5 has everyone slowing down their planting and preparing for the expected heavy rainfall. It looks like we will switch from a very dry stretch to a very wet one. If you have rice in the ground, now would be a good time to get a residual herbicide out and get it activated.

<h3>William “Hutch” Hutchens District Field Representative (870) 273-9291</h3>

<h2>New Provisia® Varieties On The Way</h2>

The rate at which university rice breeders have steadily brought varietal improvements to market has been nothing short of phenomenal.&nbsp;

The 2025 season has two top-performing Horizon Ag Provisia&reg; varieties &ndash; <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/pvl03" target="_blank">PVL03</a> and <a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/variety/pvl04" target="_blank">PVL04</a> &ndash;being planted on a considerable number of acres throughout the region, with both offering farmers the potential for competitive yields, excellent milling quality and outstanding control of weedy rice and grasses.&nbsp;

In addition, farmers will have the opportunity to see two new Provisia varieties &ndash; PVL05 and PVL06 &ndash; in university trials, field days and seed production plots this season, ahead of limited launches in 2026. Both varieties are expected to provide a step up in yield potential and could drive even greater adoption of the Provisia Rice System in the&nbsp;South.

This parent seed field is being planted with new PVL05 at the LSU AgCenter station in Crowley, Louisiana.

&ldquo;You have to take your hat off to the rice breeders and the work they&rsquo;ve done to bring high-yielding Provisia varieties to market so quickly,&rdquo; says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag CEO. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re just 12 years from the original Provisia cross in Louisiana, and new PVL05 will be the LSU AgCenter&rsquo;s fourth release in that&nbsp;time.&rdquo;

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Horizon Ag Field Day Showcases Season Outlook and New Variety Potential

2025 Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day Set for June 23

Welcome Robyn Chlapecka, upcoming Rice Conference, and free Webinar

Industry »

Rice seed availability tightens even more for 2025

Horizon Ag launches new varieties, brings together grower advisory board

Horizon Ag: Ready To Meet Seed Demand

Newsletters »

Thanks for Another Great Field Day!

Rice is in the Ground!

Despite Challenges, Crop Is Holding Up Well in Many Areas

Videos »

CLL19 Stand Out in Arkansas

New PVL04 | Aiming for Zero Weeds Even on Tough Acres

CLL18 | High Yields and High Value

IN THE NEWS

IN THE NEWS

Articles »

Horizon Ag Field Day Showcases Season Outlook and New Variety Potential

2025 Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day Set for June 23

Welcome Robyn Chlapecka, upcoming Rice Conference, and free Webinar

Industry »

Rice seed availability tightens even more for 2025

Horizon Ag launches new varieties, brings together grower advisory board

Horizon Ag: Ready To Meet Seed Demand

Newsletters »

Thanks for Another Great Field Day!

Rice is in the Ground!

Despite Challenges, Crop Is Holding Up Well in Many Areas

Videos »

CLL19 Stand Out in Arkansas

New PVL04 | Aiming for Zero Weeds Even on Tough Acres

CLL18 | High Yields and High Value

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