October 15, 2010

Since the introduction of rice in the late nineteenth century, the state has been a leader in rice cultivation. Arkansas has consistently led the nation in production since the 1970s, with approximately 1.5 million acres (fifty percent of the national acreage) under cultivation today. Rice production, as shown in this 1920s photo taken near Weiner (Poinsett County), has been a major agricultural activity in that area for many years. Each year, the town celebrates the crop with a festival held in October.