Sneak preview

ARLINGTON, VA -- The next issue of USA Rice's Whole Grain tabloid newspaper hits the streets -- and your mailbox -- next week! 

And while our circulation is extensive at 21,000+, we ordered extra copies for distribution to places like mills, offices, and favorite local watering holes as a way to expand our reach.   

We welcome your suggestions for appropriate showcases for the Whole Grain, and please let us know if you would like extra copies to distribute in your area.

Contact:  Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

STUTTGART, AR -- The University of Arkansas has developed an Arkansas Rice Pocket Guide for rice producers to provide brief and specific recommendations for rice production in Arkansas. 

"This is a supplement to the Arkansas Rice Production Handbook, which provides more detailed information and support for recommendations," said Dr. Jarrod Hardke, University of Arkansas Rice Extension Agronomist. "The Pocket Guide, on the other hand, is designed to serve as a quick reference guide for recommendations with pictures, tables, and bullets for management decisions."

Rice Pocket Guides are available from local County Extension offices, or they can be ordered directly from the UofA Extension webpage at: http://pubs.uaex.edu/pubsWebuser.asp and searching for Rice Pocket Guide.  Another option is to be downloaded directly in PDF format: http://www.uaex.edu/publications/mp-533.aspx.

Contact:  Chuck Wilson (870) 673-7541

Around Washington

USDA's New RCPP Offer $235 Million in Conservation Funding Farm Futures

This will be the second round of projects funded through RCPP. In the first round, USDA announced $394 million in awards, which represented two years' worth of funding for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.

Around the Country

Unilever Says Its Social Responsible Brands Outperform Rest Reuters

Of the more than 400 brands Unilever sells, those with the strongest sustainability credentials -- such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Ben & Jerry's and Comfort -- have seen sales grow at a high single-digit or double-digit rate over the past three years, Unilever said on Tuesday.

Veterans Find Refuge in Farming Capital Public Radio

The main group supporting vets in agriculture is the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), based in Davis, CA. The organization offers training and grants to buy equipment and farm supplies.

Science and Technology

Can This Scientist Unite Genetic Engineers and Organic Farmers?  

National Geographic

Pamela Ronald, a UC Davis plant pathologist and geneticist proposes an integrated theory of agriculture in which "organic farming and genetic engineering each will play an increasingly important role," rather than being unnecessarily pitted against each other.

Tariffs and Trade

Anti-Cuban Embargo Movement Picks Up Steam in U.S. Washington Post

A growing number of pro-business Republicans are siding with anti-embargo activists in calling for an end to U.S. restrictions on trade with Cuba, despite their party's historical animosity toward the single-party communist government.

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There has been a shift in the center of global economic and political power from west to east, with China now a greater trading partner to every country in Asia than the U.S.