Fewer Acres, Big Questions: Rice Planting Season Update
Spring planting is underway, and there’s a lot to unpack.

Spring planting is underway, and there’s a lot to unpack.
In this episode of Grainiacs, we sit down with Jarrod Hardke from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service to talk through how planting season is shaping up across the Mid-South. From weather conditions and early progress to input decisions and field conditions, Jarrod shares what he’s seeing on the ground right now.
We also dig into one of the biggest topics of the year: a smaller rice crop. What’s driving the shift in acreage, and what could it mean for the months ahead?
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We’re kicking off the 2026 growing season with a special conversation featuring Riceland President and CEO, Kevin McGilton. Fresh off district membership meetings, Kevin shares a candid update on market conditions, including signs of improvement in rice and bean futures, and the realities we’re still navigating. A key focus of the discussion: medium grain.


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