1.   For hundreds of years, traditional farmers have practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, setting fire to small plots to make way for new crop plantings.

2.   Such changes would affect future crop plantings, harvests, farm prices and the amount of wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, and rice available for export.

3.   USDA analysts said they lowered the crop harvest outlook because of projected lower yields due to a wet, cold spring that delayed crop plantings by about two weeks.

4.   Sacks of rice seed, intended for the winter crop plantings, are stowed up in the rafters.

5.   Wheat and corn futures prices extended recent gains Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade after the Agriculture Department reported slow progress in crop plantings.