Wet spring, dry summer in central Arkansas lead to strong finish for rice

By Ryan McGeeney/ UA System Division of Agriculture

Arkansas growers have seen a little — or a lot — of everything this year, including record low temperatures and snowfall in February and a record rainfall event in June. Nevertheless, many row crop farmers in the center of the state are enjoying a strong harvest season.

With 100 percent of the state’s rice matured, and upwards of 90 percent harvested as of this week, Keith Perkins, Lonoke County agricultural extension agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the last of the summer’s heat had provided a relatively easy transition into fall.

“We had a challenging season,” Perkins said. “It was a hard time getting the crop planted. We ended up having to plant some late rice, late beans. But we’ve had a good harvest season — we’ve been relatively dry this whole time.”

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2021-10-22/wet-spring-dry-summer-in-central-arkansas-lead-to-strong-finish-for-rice

Ryan McGeeney/UA Division Of Agriculture

Rice harvesting continues in Lonoke County following a challenging year for Arkansas growers.