Ruben H. Johnson
and securing a $904,000 grant to
farming his best rice ground year
study broiler production. As a result
after year. He also pioneered zero-
graduating from
of that grant, four broiler houses
grading of rice fields when he
the University
were constructed in Savoy for broiler
noticed how long it took for water
of Arkansas
research.
to drain from a traditional sloped
After
in 1955 with
Johnson retired in 1988 and
contour levee system. Zero-grading
a degree in
moved to Magazine where he uses
allowed the field to drain water
animal science,
his Extension experience to obtain
quicker in four directions rather than
Ruben H.
grants for local organizations, such as
the one sloped direction found in
Johnson joined
the Magazine Rural Fire Department,
a traditional rice levee system. This
the University
Booneville Development Corporation
led to extensive water conservation
of Arkansas Cooperative Extension
and the town of Magazine. He’s a
benefits. Isbell and his sons were the
Service as associate county agent in
Korean War veteran and retired from
first to do this in Arkansas.
Washington County. While Johnson,
the Arkansas Army National Guard as
now 83, began his career at the local
a colonel in 1984.
It took a trip to California by Isbell’s son, Chris, to get involved
level, he quickly was promoted to
in another rice-growing innovation.
the state office after two years.
Chris met a Japanese man, who claimed that Koshihikari, a Japanese
While in Washington County, Johnson started the 4-H pullet chain funded by the Sears-Roebuck Foundation. His work with poultry
Leroy Isbell
rice variety, couldn’t be farmed outside of Japan. Father and son With
took on the challenge, successfully
in Washington County led to his
innovations in
cultivating the Japanese variety and
promotion to UACES Poultryman in
the rice industry
taking it to market in the U.S. and
1957. Johnson’s accomplishments
never before
eventually Japan when it opened
included his educational work on
attempted
trade for rice imports.
broiler production and the initiation
by anyone in
of some of the earliest work on
Arkansas or
to his family farm wanting to
proper use of poultry litter.
the U.S., Leroy
improve their own rice-growing.
Isbell, 89, of
The Isbell family is well respected
After working as poultryman for
Isbell’s successes bring visitors
seven years, Johnson was promoted
England, pioneered methods making
and recognizable in Japan where
to two divisional positions for the
his name internationally recognized.
the family’s picture adorns the rice
Southwest District: district resource
Isbell’s innovations during a 55-year
products it sells there.
development specialist (1964-70)
career are widely accepted today.
and district agent (1970-75). In
Isbell first learned about rice
1975, Johnson became UACES State
farming from GI bill classes he
Leader for Agriculture where he had
attended after leaving the Navy. He
administrative responsibility for
began with 40 acres, paying for the
35 counties. Under his leadership,
first crop with his GI bill paycheck.
specialists and agents increased
In1959, Isbell purchased 900 acres
in agricultural
educational programs, such as
— then in use for fish production —
practices are
research verification programs in
and modified it for rice.
necessary for
various commodities. With the latest
Isbell rebelled against the
Keith Lusby Innovations
agriculture
research available, production yields
common rice-growing practices like
and livestock
increased and production costs
rotating rice crops in fields to lessen
production to
decreased.
the impact of red rice problems.
grow. Moreover,
Johnson’s major accomplishments
He found that by water seeding his
the methods and
were his appointment to the position
rice crops, he controlled red rice
facilities used in educating students
of UACES Acting Director in 1981
problems so well he could continue
should be innovative, too. Keith
Arkansas Arkansas Agriculture Agriculture
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