Kaplan, LA - Last week, rice farmers and LSU Ag Center researchers gathered here to talk about Soil Fertility and Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the Rice Model Farm Field Day and the Bayou Queue de Tortue 319 Program.
For several years, Julie and Christian Richard’s farm has served as the host site for the ongoing Rice Model research, a joint project with the LSU AgCenter and the Model Farms – Taylor Foundation and Louisiana Master Farmer Program.
Dr. Matt Lee, Sr. Vice Chancellor for Agriculture and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr. Mike Salassi, Vice Chancellor and Director of Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Stations, and Dr. Brenda Tubana of the LSU AgCenter were on hand to welcome attendees and provide an overview of a Model Farm Project, as well as its goals of developing BMPs for growers to implement on their own operations.
Christian gave the group an overview on Richard Farms and their operation before heading out into the field for demonstrations on cover crop and Nitrogen management, water quality monitoring, rainfall simulation, and a precision ag technology demonstration using drones to monitor rice health by researchers from the LSU AgCenter.
"We have long been proponents of integrating conservation on our farm,” Christian said. “Participation in conservation-based research benefits not only our operations but also the continuation of programs such as 319. Farm-based research that validates and quantifies the benefits of these programs will aid us in securing future funding and ensuring their continuation. It also allows us to improve current practices, making them more efficient and effective."
Following the discussions and demonstrations in the field, the group returned to the shop to take part in presentations on Conservation Tools and their economics, the Bayou Queue de Tortue 319 Program and the Vermilion SWCD and Implementing Practices through NRCS Programs /Cost Share Opportunities with USDA NRCS. LA Master Farmer Program Coordinator Dr. Donna Gentry provided an update before lunch, and following lunch, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain provided brief remarks on the importance of the conservation program.
In addition to showcasing the advantages of various BMPs in rice production, the Model Farm Field Day allows for collaboration between growers and researchers on real time experiments, and the chance to ask questions about the practices and the economic factors related to implementing them on their own farms.
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