Arkansas Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement (WRICE) (WRICE)

AGFC pays Arkansas rice farmers to skip fall tillage, leave stubble and flood harvested fields during waterfowl migration, and to allow weekend permitted public waterfowl hunts on those fields. Farmers still operate and harvest normally. An expansion pays landowners with Wetland Reserve Easements $50 per acre to open enrolled WRICE property to year-round public hunting and wildlife viewing.

• Arkansas rice producers willing to leave stubble, flood fields during migration and allow permitted public waterfowl hunting

• Landowners with Wetland Reserve Easements for the $50/acre access portion

Per-acre payments; fields stay in normal rice production; public access through AGFC permit-hunt draws.

Published amounts: This new portion of the program will pay landowners $50/acre to allow public access to their currently enrolled WRICE properties for hunting and wildlife-viewing throughout the year. (Rice-field payment rates not published.)

Contact the AGFC WRICE Program Coordinator.

Deadline text on the page: No producer sign-up dates published; 2026-27 WRICE permit hunt draw schedule is posted, so the program is active this season.