About Us
County Impact Statements - St. Francis County
Rice Multiplier Field Program Multiplier Fields Help Producers
Fine Tune Rice Production
In 2000, about 47,000 acres of rice were grown in St Francis County. The St.
Francis County average rice yield in 2000 was 130 bushels per acre, which is
slightly below the Arkansas state average rice yield of 136 bushels per acre.
It is the goal of the St. Francis County Extension Service to help producers
to increase their production efficiency by using all available technical and
cultural practices. These practices use all of the latest Cooperative Extension
Service research information on variety selection, rice fertility, weed control,
insect control, and Integrated Pest Management to help streamline rice
production in the county.
Other important tools that are used by the St. Francis County Extension
Service are programs such as the Rice Research Verification Program, the Rice
Multiplier Field Program, and the DD50 computer program. These programs are
utilized in a collaborative effort with growers to help them keep abreast of the
ever changing research based recommendations, and to educate the growers on the
importance of timing when applying fertilizer and pesticides.
In this time of low commodity prices and high production costs, it is
imperative that producers produce their crops in the most economically feasible
manner by producing the highest possible yield with the least amount of inputs.
"The Rice Multiplier Field Program was certainly a useful educational
process. I learned a lot about rice production on my own farm."
– Rice Multiplier Field Program cooperator Sid Fogg
The Rice Multiplier Field Program is just one of the tools
Extension uses to provide growers with the latest production
recommendations.
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Impacts
- In 2001, rice producer Sid Fogg asked to enroll one of his fields in the
Rice Multiplier Field Program. The field was scouted twice weekly by Fogg
and county agent Justin Hensley. Fogg was advised on management decisions
based on Extension Service recommendations.
- The Rice Multiplier Field yielded 169 bushels of rice per acre. Fogg’s
farm average rice yield in 2001 was 142 bushels per acre.
- Fogg’s 2001 farm average was 12 bushels better than the 2000 St. Francis
County average rice yield of 130 bushels per acre and 32 bushels better than
Fogg’s historical farm average of 110 bushels per acre.
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