News

The Rice Leadership Development Program’s Class of 2018/20 graduated from the prestigious program during a special ceremony at the USA Rice 2020 Government Affairs Conference today. Full story

Author Adam Famoso is an assistant professor at the Rice Research Station at the LSU AgCenter and a member of the 2018-20 Rice Leadership Development Class. Full story

Jason Bond is a weed scientist at Mississippi State University and a member of the 2019-21 Rice Leadership Class. Following is his report on Session II of the two-year program. Full story

The Rice Foundation is accepting applications for the 2020 Rice Leadership Development Program. Rice producers or industry-related professionals between the ages of 25 and 45 are eligible to apply for the program. The application deadline is September 20. Full story

Sustainability goes beyond environmental benefits: one of the most significant contributions of the U.S. rice industry is economic, because if a sustainability practice doesn’t pay its way on the farm or mill, it’s not truly sustainable. Full story

Before it was cultivated thousands of years ago, rice grew wild in wet, marshy areas rich in biodiversity. Today, rice fields are a crucial refuge for many species of birds, fish, amphibians, and even mammals who have lost their habitat to development and coastal erosion, providing approximately 700,000 acres that nature conservationists would be loath to see growing other crops. Full story

The benefits of sustainability measures are not always visible to the naked eye and that’s why the U.S. Rice Industry Sustainability Report is so important—it quantifies and catalogs the great strides rice farmers have made in air quality and energy since 1980, and the innovations they continue to make. Full story