By Carah Hart

An extension agronomist with University of Arkansas says a seed shortage and a challenging ag economy have farmers taking a more cautious approach planting rice.

Jarrod Hardke tells Brownfield “everyone is pretty much in a position of we better get this right the first time, because there won’t be opportunities for do-overs. Not that we usually have a lot of do-overs, but it’s not the year to have to attempt to stomach one or deal with those issues.”

Rice planting is underway for some Arkansas farmers. Hardke says field conditions are variable, with some areas lacking sufficient moisture ahead of weekend rains.

“If get got a half inch of rain across the Arkansas Delta, we could do anything we want the next day. It’s that dry.”

He says while rice can be a forgiving crop, stand establishment is still at risk when conditions are dry.

Hardke also says he’s expecting fewer rice acres in Arkansas this year and how much of a decline will be weather dependent.

USDA says Arkansas rice planting is 2% complete, ahead of the 5-year average.

Published Date: March 27, 2025