Over the past couple of weeks I had the opportunity to attend two rice research field days in Eagle Lake and Beaumont, Texas, where rice farmers from all over the state got together to learn about new research being performed by Texas A&M. The first field day experience consisted of a tour of the Eagle Lake research farm (where Tabby’s rice experiments are taking place) with stations occupied by the researchers who were presenting their work. Dr. Muthu was one of the presenters who shared about the most recent research that he and Tabby have been working on together. As farmers listened they were able to ask questions and share concerns or ideas that they had. After the tour there was a dinner where a couple of speakers shared the most up to date information concerning international trade and projected market numbers for the American Rice Industry. There was a speaker from Washington D.C. who spoke a bit about the farm bill and potential changes that may be coming due to the 2016 elections. The second speaker was a member of the Texas Rice Growers Association who spoke more about statistics and projected changes in the prices of corn and rice along with concerns about international relations with the rest of the world due to import and export ratios. What struck me most about this field day was the importance of keeping oneself educated and being in the loop when it comes to the latest developments in scientific research. In addition to this, realizing how much everything is connected; from farmers to politicians to consumers and growers in other countries, all affects all. The field day really emphasized the importance of scientific research not only in rice but in the entire agricultural sector as climate and weather patterns are changing along with plant genetic diversity and insect interactions.

During the Beaumont research station field day I was able to learn not only about research projects going on at A&M, but I also had the opportunity to listen to a few projects going on in Mississippi State and North Carolina State University. While listening to the different research projects I noticed that one of the leading concepts guiding these projects was the use of water in rice fields. Rice production requires an enormous amount of water which is sometimes a problem in times of drought. Although Texas is among the leading rice producers in the United States, water usage and efficiency are top priorities as scarcity becomes more common. The presenter from Mississippi State spoke about an ongoing project revolving the idea of reducing the amount of water used in rice production and letting the soil dry down to a crack. He is now testing for yield variability and looking for statistically significant differences in yield output.

One of the most notable things during both field days was how eager the farmers were to learn and communicate with each other. The business is constantly changing and they depend on extension events such as this one to keep themselves informed of changes coming their way. Additionally, events such as the rice field day highlight the importance of interaction between different departments of focus such as entomology, soil and crop, and weed science. Many times there are several problems affecting problems and it requires the help and cooperation of various experts to help them get through a rough season. Extension programs like the AgriLife Research System of Texas A&M provide these research services that can provide farmers with annual information keeping them up to date with the latest news and developments to maximize their field potential.