A combine harvests rice near Crowley, Louisiana. This year’s crop won’t set any records after a growing season with excess rainfall that has stretched into the harvest, making field conditions difficult to cut rice. Farmers in who have not finished harvesting their crop are anxiously watching Hurricane Harvey. Photo by Bruce Schultz/LSU AgCenter
Hurricane threatens balance of Louisiana rice harvest
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.
