A panel of rice industry experts will share the latest in rice farming practices at a free rice farming symposium Feb. 2 at the LSU Extension Building in Crowley, Louisiana.

The event is the first of five sponsored symposiums. Similar symposiums will be held in Rayville, La., on March 2; Cleveland, Miss., on March 3; Brinkley, Ark., on March 4; and Corning, Ark., on March 5.

The events, open to retailers, growers, consultants and others involved in the rice industry, are organized by RiceCo, LLC, and co-sponsored by Valent USA and Horizon Ag, in conjunction with trade partners Agriliance, Crop Production Services, Helena Chemical, Jimmy Sanders Inc., MFA-INC, and WinField Solutions.

In Crowley, among the topics of discussion: cultural practices, crop rotation, herbicide and Clearfield stewardship practices.

Attendees will receive CEU credits that will apply to their crop advisor certification status.

“Resistance management is an important issue facing rice farmers, and more is being learned about it every day,” said Matt Plitt of RiceCo. “The goal of this symposium is to help growers retain their competitive advantage in the world market. If the United States wants to continue being the most efficient and productive rice region, we must work together as an industry to preserve our current chemistry and trait technologies.”

The session will begin at 9 a.m., and conclude at 11:30 a.m., followed by a catered lunch. Those planning to stay for lunch are asked to call (888) 835-1313 or email [email protected].

Among the speakers will be Eric Webster, LSU AgCenter professor of weed science. Other members of the panel include technical representatives from Valent USA and Horizon Ag.

RiceCo is a developer of crop protection products for rice. Founded in 1997, the company’s product portfolio includes SuperWham, RicePro, RiceBeaux, Duet and RicePyr.