Louisiana Launches Rice Production School to Support Industry Growth
ISSN 2158-9429
Volume 19, Issue 1 - June 2026
Editor: Bindu Poudel-Ward
Gambino, C., Extension Associate , LSU AgCenter Entomology
Wilson, B., Associate Professor, LSU AgCenter Entomology
Yang, X., Statistician, LSU AgCenter Sociology
Abstract
The Rice Production School was developed by the LSU AgCenter in 2025 to address Louisiana’s need for comprehensive, research-based training for rice producers and industry stakeholders. The inaugural Rice Production School was conducted from April to October 2025. It consisted of 12 total classes each with a full eight hours of instruction. A total of 15 students participated, each of whom paid a $300 registration fee. To evaluate the program’s effectiveness, participants completed a pre-training and post-training knowledge assessment where participants rated their knowledge across key topic areas on a 0–10 scale. Results showed consistent and statistically significant increases across all subject areas, with mean scores increasing from moderate (4–6) to high (8–9) levels of perceived knowledge. The results will be used to refine future Rice Production School offerings and inform extension programming for rice producers and agricultural professionals across Louisiana.
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