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Arkansas farmers says they’re off to the quickest start in years

A northeast Arkansas farmer says they’ve been planting in dribs and drabs since early March as Mother Nature would allow.

Derek Haigwood tells Brownfield their goal every year is to get in the field as early as they can. “Our yields are so much better here in the South if you can plant early,” he says.  “Your rice is mature in August and you can let that August dry down your crops for harvest.  Soybeans, if you have them made before mid-August, your yields are going to be better.”

He says keeping the crop healthy and the weed pressure down is a priority every year.  “As soon as we pull out of a field we’ve got to get that burndown, pre-emergence on,” he says.  “And for rice, you’ve got to watch it a lot once you get it going.  In this humid environment, we have we’ve always got to worry about making sure we have timely fungicide applications.”

Haigwood says they have about 25% of their crops planted.  Temperatures are forecasted to drop into the 30’s Tuesday evening and he says they’ll need to scout for any frost and freeze damage on the crops that are up.