Tropical Storm Barry brought timely rain to some areas, while causing major flooding damage in others. According to the USDA’s latest Crop and Weather Report, 58 percent of the rice crop is rated good to excellent and 18 percent of the crop is heading.
University of Arkansas rice agronomist Jarrod Hardke says the rainfall saved farmers several days of irrigation. “The biggest concern that we won’t know for a little while is that three consecutive days where we had rain through the middle part of the day while we’re during pollination could be an issue,” he says.
