Thoughts on Rice

Let us hear from you!  The demands of agriculture are unique, often blending long hours, unpredictable weather, and financial pressure. Taking care of your mental well-being is just as vital as tending to your crops. Whether you are looking for proactive stress management or need immediate support, there are resources specifically designed for the agricultural community.  Proactive Management &amp...

Let us hear from you! In this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish, Carson Jeffries (UC Davis), and Paul Buttner (California Rice Commission) discuss an exciting project - the concept of running young salmon on rice fields! Support the show UC ANR is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form  In this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish gives a recap of the 2025 rice season, looking ahead to the 2026 season.  Links  Armyworm Monitoring Network   Upcoming Events  Rice Production Workshop (registration required - REGISTER HERE )  March 18-19, 2026  8:30 am - 3:30 pm  Lundberg Family Farms, 5311 Midway, Richvale, CA  Other Resources  UC Rice Blog   UC Agronomy...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form On this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish speaks with Dr. Dustin Harrell and Dr. Teresa DeLeon, both of the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation and breeders at the California Rice Experiment Station. They detail the history of the Rice Experiment Station and new varieties coming to the California rice market. Links California Cooperative Rice Research Foun...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form On this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish welcomes back colleague Dr. Sara Rosenberg, a UCANR Farm Advisor for Mariposa, Merced and Stanislaus counties, to discuss a recent paper she has published. Dr. Rosenberg recently published a paper about part of her dissertation work, the first study to assess soil health and agronomic outcomes in diversified and continuous ric...

Let us hear from you! Jens Beets (USDA) and Whitney Brim-Deforest (UCCE) sit down to discuss the invasive weed Winged Water Primrose ( Ludwigia decurrens ) and research efforts to mitigate this weed. Feedback Form In this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish welcomes back colleagues Dr. Jens Beets (USDA) and Dr. Whitney Brim-Deforest (UCCE) to sit down to discuss the invasive weed Winged Water Primrose ( L...

Let us hear from you! Part 4 of 4 This special episode series features Colusa County rice farmers George and Carson Tibbitts discussing the multi-generational history of their family farm, and how Carson is now taking on more responsibilities as a junior partner while learning from his father's decades of farming experience. Feedback Poll Upcoming Events Winter Grower Meetings (2 DPR CE credi...

Let us hear from you! Part 3 of 4 This special episode series features Colusa County rice farmers George and Carson Tibbitts discussing the multi-generational history of their family farm, and how Carson is now taking on more responsibilities as a junior partner while learning from his father's decades of farming experience. Feedback Poll Upcoming Events Winter Grower Meetings (2 DPR CE credi...

Let us hear from you! Part 2 of 4 This special episode series features Colusa County rice farmers George and Carson Tibbitts discussing the multi-generational history of their family farm, and how Carson is now taking on more responsibilities as a junior partner while learning from his father's decades of farming experience. Feedback Poll Upcoming Events Winter Grower Meetings (2 DPR CE credi...

Let us hear from you! Part 1 of 4 This special episode series features Colusa County rice farmers George and Carson Tibbitts discussing the multi-generational history of their family farm, and how Carson is now taking on more responsibilities as a junior partner while learning from his father's decades of farming experience. Feedback Poll Upcoming Events Winter Grower Meetings (2 DPR CE credi...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Poll In this episode, Sarah Marsh Janish talks with Dr. Lina Bernaola , an assistant professor in the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Department of Entomology, to give a rundown on rice delphacid, a pest that is ravaging the Southern Rice Belt and is a vector of Rice Hoja Blanca. While it is not present in CA yet, it's important to be aware of potential threats...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Poll In this episode, Luis Espino and Sarah Marsh Janish give a rundown on stem rot, one of the main diseases of rice in California. One disease that can be found in practically every rice field is stem rot. This fungus causes the tillers to rot at the water level and, when severe, it causes blanking and lodging. Stem Rot Resources UC IPM - Stem Rot UC Rice Blog Post...

Let us hear from you! Sarah Marsh Janish sits down with Mia Avila and Oscar Deleon, Jr., who spent summer 2025 with the UCCE Rice Team as part of Chico STEM Connections Collaborative , a collaborative undergraduate research experience at California State University Chico. CSC² is an innovative program working in collaboration with other California State Universities throughout the state to coordin...

Let us hear from you! Blackbirds may be small, but their impact on rice fields can be huge. We explore how and when they cause the most damage, why they target rice, and what farmers are doing to protect their crops.  Feedback Poll Upcoming Events! Annual Rice Field Day on August 27 Blackbird Resources UC Rice Blog Blackbird post (with ID photos) Overall blackbird damage to rice crops has been est...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Poll Together, the UCCE Farm Advisors seek to provide relevant, topical research-backed information relating to CA rice production. We're doing a rerun episode today: Luis Espino and Sarah Marsh will be talking about Rice Armyworm Monitoring Program and the second generation of armyworms in rice. We're using this episode as the second peak of armyworms is a...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Sarah Marsh Janish and Billy Abbott discuss the upcoming BirdReturns program, the Sandhill Crane Program, which incentivizes farmers to provide roosting and forage habitat for the Greater Sandhill Crane, an threatened bird species in the Sacramento Valley and CA Delta regions. BirdReturns Sandhill Crane Application Applications open on July 25 and close on Augus...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Sarah and Luis discuss armyworms as a significant pest in California rice production. The discussion included Luis providing current updates on armyworm populations, scouting techniques, treatment thresholds, and management options for rice farmers. Upcoming Events Rice Production Workshop - POSTPONED TO MARCH 2026 Weedy Rice Workshop - August 5, 2025, 10:00 AM...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form The UCCE Rice group discussed various agricultural topics including no-till rice field demonstrations, pest management challenges, and new tools for detecting tadpole shrimp, followed by updates on ongoing research projects and planting trials in the 2025 rice season. Upcoming Events Rice Production Workshop - POSTPONED TO MARCH 2026 Weedy Rice Workshop - August...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Today's mini-episode concerns the 2025 spring planting report and current CA rice marketing prices.  USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin USA Rice Spring Planting Report Weekly National Rice Summary from the USDA AMS Upcoming Events No-Till Rice Field Day - June 10, 2025, 9-11am, 694 Watson Road, Biggs, CA 95917 Rice Production Workshop - POSTPONED TO MARC...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Together, the UCCE Farm Advisors seek to provide relevant, topical research-backed information relating to CA rice production.  Sarah Marsh Janish sits down with Dr. Kassim Al-Khatib, who is responsible for the Herbicide Resistance Screening Program that UC Cooperative Extension provides, free of charge, to rice growers and PCAs who are interested in determining...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Together, the UCCE Farm Advisors seek to provide relevant, topical research-backed information relating to CA rice production. Sarah Marsh Janish sits down with Kate Walker, a representative from FMC, to discuss some of the latest developments in the rice chemical market. Mention of an agrichemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of rese...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form In honor of UCCE Colusa's upcoming Centennial Celebration, Sarah Marsh Janish takes a trip back in time, outlining the development of the Extension Service in California and how, despite shifts in funding and leadership, the mission of UCCE remains to serve the communities in which the offices are housed. For more information, see the links below: History o...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form In honor of National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Sarah Marsh Janish discusses the recent focus on nutria in California. Although this semi-aquatic mammal is not new to California, the surge in population and range across the state is of some concern, especially to those of us who work in the habitats they prefer to inhabit. Report Nutria: "Suspected ob...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Together, the UCCE Farm Advisors seek to provide relevant, topical research-backed information relating to CA rice production. Sarah Marsh Janish sits down with Sharon Bell, Ashley McWilliams, and Mike Martin, representatives from UPL, Wilbur-Ellis, and Valent USA, to discuss some of the latest developments in the rice chemical market. Mention of an agrichemical...

Let us hear from you! Feedback Form Together, the UCCE Farm Advisors seek to provide relevant, topical research-backed information relating to CA rice production. Sarah Marsh Janish and Luis Espino discussed the 2024 Rice Disease Survey, the results of which showed a low incidence of blast and similar levels of other diseases compared to previous years. The conversation also covered the influence...