The BIFS in Rice project was initiated in response to increasing environmental and economic pressures on rice growers. The following is an outline of the project:
The BIFS in Rice project adopts sustainable production practices which offer the opportunity for the reduction of chemical inputs (i.e., reducing input costs) while simultaneously maintaining high yields. Environmental, political, and economic factors necessitate the use of cost effective sustainable production strategies which are part of the BIFS program.
Thus, the objectives of this porgram are to:
Demonstrate alternative rice production strategies designed to address soil health, the cultural control of weeds, and the reduction of chemical inputs in growers' fields;
- Monitor trends in pesticide use;
- Evaluate the production costs per unit yield of conventional and alternative management systems; and
- Distribute information among the participating growers and the agricultural community at large using a farmer-to-farmer extension model.
