The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agriculture Statistics Service Acreage report was released today.  The annual report presents acreage by planted and/or harvested areas by state.     

Total planted acres for the 2014 crop are up more than 20 percent over last year's total. 

Gooooooal USA Rice!

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI -- No doubt World Cup fever has gripped this island nation of diehard soccer and U.S-grown rice fans.  Restaurants, hotels, bars, and cars all around the capital fly the flags of participant nations to show support, and lucrative television contracts to broadcast the global event raised eyebrows earlier this summer.

With so much attention focused on the matches, many believe the World Cup is an excellent time to reach out to consumers.  The USA Rice Federation has launched a major promotion for U.S. rice (Diri Ameriken) on four TV channels in the capital city and three other channels in the cities of Cap-Haïtien (the second largest city), Les Cayes, and Saint-Marc. 

Each minute during games, a ticker featuring a bag of U.S. rice crawls across the bottom of the screen, urging people to buy U.S. rice because it is of better quality.  An additional TV spot contains Haitian actors purchasing U.S. rice at a local market; this ad runs before the matches, during half time, and at the end of the soccer match.  The ad is also used during World Cup commentary and analysis programs.  Additionally, radio promotions for U.S. rice are being continued on four radio stations in Port-au-Prince and five radio stations in regional provinces.

"American rice makes your days more enjoyable."

"Haitians are mad about futbol," says Ives Marie Chanel, USA Rice's contractor in Haiti.  "Due to the World Cup's extreme popularity, USA Rice's TV and radio ads will reach a wide-ranging audience and help encourage greater consumption of American rice by stressing its high quality, low amount of brokens and great taste."

Contact:  Sarah Moran, (703) 236-1457

Johnny Saichuk gives research report at 2013 NELA Field Day.

July 8 -- Vermilion Parish Field Day

4:00 p.m.

Lounsberry Farm

Highway 14 East

Lake Arthur, LA

Contact: Andrew Granger, AGranger@agcenter.lsu.edu 

July 10 -- 67th Annual Beaumont Rice Field Day
8:00 a.m.

Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center
1509 Aggie Drive

Beaumont, TX 77713
Contact: Dr. Ted Wilson, lt-wilson@aesrg.tamu.edu 

July 17 -- Northeast Louisiana (NELA) Rice Field Day

9:00 a.m. -- Research Plot Tours

Woodsland Plantation

282 Highway 15

Rayville, LA 71269

11:00 a.m. - Program

Rayville Community Center

817 Louisa Street

Rayville, LA 71269

Contact: Keith Collins, kcollins@agctr.lsu.edu 

July 22 - St. Landry Parish Field day

8:30 a.m.

Charlie Fontenot Farm-Sunland Properties

Palmetto, LA

Contact: Vincent Deshotel, VDeshotel@agcenter.lsu.edu 

Around the Country

Arkansas Rice Crop Overcoming Early Season Setbacks Delta Farm Press

Dodging rains, producers have often scrambled to find days to plant. Problems have compounded as delays mounted.

The proposed water regulation, better known as the "Waters of the U.S." rule, is the latest measure that's symbolic of the growing fissure dividing the EPA and agriculture producers.

Research Station Helps Farmers Achieve Record Yields KNOE-CBS

Much of the work being conducted at the station is funded by a checkoff program that requires farmers to pay a 5-cent fee dedicated to research for every 100 pounds of rice sold.

Around the World

S. Korea Delays Decision on How to Open Rice Market Reuters

With the country's 20-year-old agreement with the World Trade Organization allowing Seoul to cap exports set to expire at year-end, the government is under international pressure to begin opening its rice markets to more foreign competition.

Science and Technology

Ag Drone Symposium to be Held in Memphis Agwatch Network

Delta AgTech Symposium: Advancing UAVs in Agriculture, to be held July 7-8, 2014, at Agricenter International in Memphis.