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CROWLEY — The 2017 rice harvest is wrapping up in south Louisiana with overall results considered fair because of unfavorable weather, but an approaching tropical storm could complicate getting the remaining crop out of the fields.
Steve Linscombe, director of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, said 2017 will not rank among the top yielding years. “We’re going to have an OK crop, but certainly not near a record yield,” he said.
Results vary widely. “It’s as much variation as I’ve seen in quite a while,” Linscombe said. “This has been one of the more difficult years for me to make an estimate on our statewide yield.”
At the start of harvest, yields ranged from good to very poor. “It’s been that way throughout the season with a gradual reduction,” he said
But Linscombe said he’s not surprised that this year’s crop has been subpar. Half of the days in June and July had measurable rain, and the cloud cover interfered with the sun’s radiant energy needed for photosynthesis.
Linscombe referred to an old observation that the best rice crops are made in years when pumping large amounts of water is required to maintain a flood to compensate for low rainfall.
Added to the cloudy weather was wind from Tropical Storm Cindy, which hit Louisiana in June just as many rice plants were flowering for pollination, he said. The winds damaged the panicles, resulting in numerous blank seed heads, resulting in lowered yields.
Milling quality has been good, probably because day and night temperatures were moderate, with many days not exceeding 90 degrees. Excessively hot nights usually result in grains with more chalk, Linscombe said.
On a positive note, the ratoon, or second, crop is off to a good start. Harvest began earlier than usual because of earlier-planted rice, and that should help the second-crop fields.
James Meaux, AgCenter extension agent in Calcasieu Parish, said about 80 percent of the rice there has been harvested. Some farmers in the Vinton area have not been able to harvest, and Hurricane Harvey could cause even more delay.
“They’re probably really getting nervous now. Hopefully it’s not going to be as bad as they say,” Meaux said.
Some fields have been ready for more than a week, but they keep getting rainfall. “We just haven’t had a lot of consecutive dry days,” he said.
One farmer hasn’t been able to apply fertilizer on a field for a second crop because runways are too wet for airplanes.
Meaux said yields have been in the high 30-barrel range to the mid-40s.
Results from the first fields harvested in northeast Louisiana are more encouraging. AgCenter extension rice specialist Dustin Harrell said the harvest recently began in north Louisiana.
“Excellent yields so far,” Harrell said. “The crop has just been tremendous up there.”
Some fields are producing in excess of 200 bushels (56 barrels), and one farmer had 215 bushels (60 barrels) per acre.
The difference in the north is the result of weather’s influence on the two areas of the state. North Louisiana had rain, but not when rice plants were flowering, and with drier conditions, sheath blight disease in north Louisiana rice has not been bad, Harrell aid.
Early yields in southwest Louisiana varied considerably. “We had some really good yields and very poor yields,” he said.
With the boost from the north Louisiana harvest, the overall crop from Louisiana’s 395,000 acres will be about average, Harrell said.
Keith Collins, AgCenter extension agent in Richland Parish, said growing conditions have been good in northeast Louisiana.
“Overall, we’ve had a good year for it,” Collins said. Adequate rainfall has reduced pumping costs.
Todd Fontenot, AgCenter extension agent in Evangeline Parish, estimated that 75-80 percent of the crop there has been harvested.
“We’re still fighting the rains,” Fontenot said. “The rice being harvested now should have been harvested a week ago.”
Disease has affected this year’s crop. “There’s a lot of disease pressure, a lot of sheath blight, and that has hurt some yields,” he said.
The parish average is probably in the mid-40-barrel range for both conventional and Clearfield varieties. Hybrids have varied considerably, with some yields exceeding 60 barrels per acre, he said.
More farmers are starting or increasing crawfish operations, and that has reduced the number of fields that will be in second-crop rice.
Andrew Granger, AgCenter extension agent in Vermilion Parish, estimated harvest completion at 80-85 percent there.
Yields were fair-to-good early in the harvest at 40-50 barrels an acre, but that has decreased. “Lately, it’s been the upper 30s or lower 40s,” Granger said.
Farmers had to deal with heavy disease pressure. “It’s as bad as I’ve seen,” he said.
Sheath blight was the worst culprit, he said. Some fields had Cercospora early in the season, but they were treated. “Some of that yielded as well as anything,” Granger said.
Jeremy Hebert, AgCenter extension agent in Acadia Parish, said a large portion of the crop there is harvested.
“We are probably looking at 80-85 percent finished,” Hebert said. “Overall, the rice crop is good, not excellent and not poor, but a pretty good rice crop.”
A slight price increase probably encouraged more farmers to grow a second crop. “People were excited to see a little jump” in price, he said.
Many farmers were not able to work the stubble for a second crop because fields were too muddy.
Farmers didn’t have to use much insecticide, but disease resulted in a larger amount of fungicide use. “There was a lot of sheath blight and some blast,” Hebert said.
Frances Guidry, AgCenter extension agent in Jefferson Davis Parish, said sheath blight has been a problem because of excessive rain.
Yields there are not outstanding. “Everything has been average to low,” she said.

March 25, 1940 ~ August 21, 2017

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services will be held at 2:30 PM on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville honoring the life of Joyce Dane Lege Mayer, 77, who died Monday, August 21, 2017 at Vermilion Health Care Center. She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Deacon Andrew Schumacher officiating the services.
Joyce is survived by her husband of 55 years, Robert R. Mayer, Sr.; son, Robert “Robbie: P. Mayer, Jr. and his wife Marcelle Renard Mayer; step-son, Joseph Paul Mayer; step-daughter, Troylynette Monk and her husband Steve; sister, Rita Lege Pellerin; grandchildren, Shaina Mayer, Cassie Mayer. Michael Monk, Joanna Monk, Ryan Monk and Christina Lyons; a host of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ursin Lege and the former Alice Luquette; son, Terry Wayne Lyons; and brother, Ernest Lege.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 9:00 AM until time of services. A rosary being prayed at 11:00 AM.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

September 4, 1938 ~ August 23, 2017

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, August 25, 2017 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Richard Carl Vice, 78, who died Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at Abbeville General Hospital. He will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Fr. Michael Richard officiating the services.
Richard is survived by his two daughters, Sheila Vice and Sharon Gaspard and her husband, Heith; granddaughters, Shantell Vice, Codi Gaspard, Katey Singer, Holley Singer, Shena Couvillier and Jamie Fargo; grandsons, Corey Vice, Dusty Singer and Kyle Singer; great-granddaughters, Ryleigh Bessard, Aaliyah Baker, Zoie Burns, McKenzie Couvillier and Layla Fargo; and great-grandsons, Jordan Vice, Hunter Vice and Sage Vice, Cameron Singer, Joel Singer, Landon Singer, Logan Singer, and Mykal Fargo.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Leona Theriot Vice; parents, Eddie Vice, Sr. and the former Edith Richard; sons, Karl David Vice and Randall Vice; sisters, Helen Palombo and Janette Vincent; and brother, Eddie Vice, Jr..
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Thursday, August 24, 2017 from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 7:00 PM; Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 8:00 AM until 1:45 PM when the procession will depart for the church.
The family would like to thank Abbeville General Hospital, Concepts of Care and Eastridge Nursing Home for their care and compassion in their time of need.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

Over the years, playing football in August is almost a guarantee there will be rain either by a tropical storm, hurricane or just lots of rain.
Once again, Mother Nature is creating havoc on high school before the season even began.
After six years of not playing one another, parish schools from Acadia and Vermilion parish are joining forces to create the Acadian/Vermilion parish jamboree.
Tonight, Kaplan, Abbeville, Erath, and North Vermilion are joining forces to battle Crowley, Rayne, Lake Arthur and Church Point.
The original plan was to play four games on Thursday and Friday.
Thanks to Tropical Storm Harvey, the Friday games at Kaplan High have been moved to tonight in Kaplan.
So, all four jamboree games will be played tonight.
At Rayne High School, Crowley will play Erath (6 p.m.) and Rayne will play Abbeville (7:30 p.m.).
Down the road in Kaplan, Church Point plays North Vermilion (6:30 p.m.) and Kaplan and Lake Arthur tangle (8 p.m.).
Those wishing to attend the jamboree are urged to purchase the tickets for the event at their respective schools. All proceeds from the tickets purchased at the schools remain at the schools
Money from the tickets purchased at the gate will be split between the four schools.

Acadia/Vermilion
Jamboree

Thursday:
Crowley vs. Erath (6 p.m.)
Rayne vs. Abbeville (7:30 p.m.)

Thursday (tickets $7 at schools, $8 at gate)
Church Point vs. NVHS (6:30 p.m.)
Kaplan vs. Lake Arthur (8 p.m.)

VC on the road

The Vermilion Catholic Eagles meet Ascension Episcopal at 6 p.m. tonight in the Teurlings jamboree.
The game will be played at Teurlings High School.
Ascension, a former district opponent, moved up to Class 2A this year.

Gueydan playing Friday

The Gueydan Bears, under are playing host to its own jamboree on Friday.
The jamboree is called the Gueydan Healthmart “Bear Down” Jamboree.”
The Bears will play Southside High out of Lafayette. Southside is a new Class 5A school that opened this year.
It will be their first scrimmage in the school’s history.
For Gueydan, it will be the first game under new head coach Roderick Moy.

Friday:

6 p.m. - Gueydan vs Hamilton Christian (HCA)
Southside vs. HCA (6:45 p.m.)
Southside vs. Gueydan (7:30 p.m.)