• Taiwan Group Caps Week in U.S. with Cross-State Visit to Arkansas

    Nov 08, 2016

    As previously reported in the USA Rice Daily, a team from the Taiwan government and the Taiwan Rice Millers’ Association traveled to U.S. rice country last week in preparation for upcoming rice import tenders. Following a stop in the Sacramento, California area, the delegation was in Arkansas on Thursday and Friday for visits in Jonesboro with Poinsett Rice & Grain and Windmill Rice followed by visits to the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) Field Office in Stuttgart as well as Riceland Foods, Inc., Producers’ Rice Mill, and the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center. Full story
  • Group of birders use binoculars at 2016-YRR-Festival Yellow Rails and Rice Festival Delivers for Birders

    Nov 07, 2016

    One hundred and twenty-seven bird enthusiasts from 27 states, and Australia and Canada gathered here in the Yellow Rail Capital of the World November 1-5 for the eighth annual Yellow Rails and Rice Festival. The festival brings birders together with rice growers to highlight the role of Louisiana’s working wetlands in bird conservation while providing participants a unique venue to view the elusive Yellow Rail. Full story
  • USA Rice Once Again Participates in the Havana International Fair (FIHAV)

    Nov 04, 2016

    This week, USA Rice exhibited at the 34th annual Havana International Fair (FIHAV). The USA Rice delegation was led by Ernesto Baron and Ana Vettorazzi, USA Rice representatives for the region, and Dr. Michael (MO) Way from Texas A&M. In addition to meeting with several hundred attendees, USA Rice also held meetings with delegates from ALIMPORT (the Cuban Import Company), the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, and from Grupo Empresarial Agricola-GAD (Agriculture Enterprise Group). Full story
  • USA Rice Identifies Trade Obstacles for USTR

    Nov 04, 2016

    Last week, USA Rice submitted its comments for the 2017 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE), an annual report issued by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The USA Rice submission identified the EU’s tariff regime and biotechnology regulation; phytosanitary issues in Colombia and Turkey; domestic price supports in India and Thailand; and various import policies in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan as significant obstacles for the U.S. rice industry. Full story
  • Farm Service Agency Logo Voting Opens for FSA County Committee Elections

    Nov 03, 2016

    USDA announced today that beginning next Monday, November 7, eligible U.S. farmers will be mailed ballots for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee. Full story
  • Mexico’s 2016 Rice Chef of the Year Moves Rice to the Center of the Plate

    Nov 03, 2016

    Last month, USA Rice hosted the 16th annual “Rice Chef of the Year” cooking competition held at the Escuela Superior de Turismo of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Superior School of Tourism of the Polytechnic Institution; E.S.T.). Twenty professional chefs representing restaurants across Mexico City and instructors from various culinary institutions cooked diverse and delicious rice dishes. Full story
  • Taiwan Team Completes California Visit; Next Stop, Arkansas

    Nov 03, 2016

    Officials in charge of rice purchasing from Taiwan's Agriculture and Food Agency plus the chairman and vice chairman of Taiwan's Rice Millers' Association were in California rice country earlier this week and will be in Arkansas today and tomorrow as they complete a week-long visit to the United States. Full story
  • Senate Appropriations Staff Prioritize Rice Abroad

    Nov 02, 2016

    While Members of Congress have spent much of the last three months in their home states in advance of the fall elections, their staff have held down the fort on the agricultural front in Washington and, in some cases, abroad. Several Senate Appropriations Committee staff members recently took rice-centric trips to Africa and Cuba representing the Committee and its chairman, Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS). Full story
  • PLC Payment Rates for 2015 Rice Crop Announced

    Nov 01, 2016

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) has published the 2015/2016 Market Year Average (MYA) price for long grain and Southern medium/short grain rice varieties. Full story
  • Lydia-Holmes-at her desk at USA Rice Return of the Rice Queen

    Oct 31, 2016

    USA Rice is pleased to welcome Lydia Holmes back to USA Rice as the new Regulatory Affairs Manager. Lydia originally worked for the Government Affairs team at USA Rice while studying for her master’s degree in Public Administration at George Washington University (GWU). Full story
  • The Rice Market Anomaly That Is China

    Oct 28, 2016

    According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), global rice production declined by 6.65 million tons in 2015/16, which USDA reports led to reduced consumption of rice in animal feeds and to some extent in food, particularly in India and Thailand. That situation was reversed in the latest USDA forecast with production forecasted to rebound by 11.17 million tons in 2016/17 to a new record of 482.26 million tons. Ending stocks are forecasted to rise 5.1 million tons to 120.7 million tons or a little more than 25 percent of consumption. Full story
  • USA Rice Celebrates World Food Day in Mexico

    Oct 27, 2016

    Earlier this month, USA Rice sponsored an event here to commemorate Dia Mundial de la Alimentación (World Food Day), a day of action against hunger where people around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate hunger. Full story
  • Chef-de-Riz-Joshua-Dietz seated on throne surrounded by rice plants Chef de Riz Named at International Rice Festival

    Oct 26, 2016

    Despite the major flooding that inundated much of rice country in August and threatened cancellation of this year’s Rice and Creole Cookery, the contest proceeded as scheduled last Friday and was a huge success. One hundred and forty-nine dishes were entered in the cook-off held at the 80th Annual International Rice Festival. Joshia Dietz of Lafayette claimed the title of Chef de Riz (Cooker of Rice). Full story
  • Ad Campaign Underway in Saudi Arabia: Making Life in the Kitchen Easier

    Oct 26, 2016

    USA Rice initiated a month long advertising campaign here that will reach 80 percent of the population in this, Saudi Arabia’s second largest city and an important commercial hub and the principal gateway to the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Full story
  • The Survey Says: Health Professionals Provide Insight into Rice

    Oct 25, 2016

    Last week, at the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE), USA Rice surveyed 230 health professionals to gain insight on rice attitudes and usage. The good news is that health professionals are huge proponents of rice. In fact, 98 percent of those in a position to make dietary recommendations, said they encourage their patients to include rice and rice products in their diet. But their responses also shed light on education gaps and growth opportunities for the rice industry. Full story
  • Jennifer-James, headshot USA Rice Launches Sustainability Attitude Survey

    Oct 24, 2016

    he concept of sustainability is clearly a driving force in our society today, and it’s one that businesses, industries, individuals, and government agencies are trying to get their heads around and define. In pursuit of a better understanding of what sustainability means to and for the U.S. rice industry, USA Rice is launching a quick online survey consisting of just seven questions, all but one of which are multiple choice or true/false. Full story
  • Market Access an Uphill Climb in EU

    Oct 21, 2016

    Popular opposition to trade agreements and EU protectionism of “sensitive” agricultural products, including rice, are two factors holding back progress on a massive trade deal between the United States and the European Union called the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T-TIP. A delegation of USA Rice members and staff traveled here last week to meet with EU officials, private sector agriculture groups, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s office at the U.S. Mission to the EU. Full story
  • Keith-Glover being interviewed, holding USA Rice microphone World Market Price Meeting Focuses on Flooding, Foreign Competition

    Oct 20, 2016

    Tuesday, the World Market Price subcommittee held their final meeting of 2016 here where USA Rice Members met with representatives from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Economic Research Service (ERS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to discuss a variety of domestic and international issues facing the rice industry. Full story
  • USA Rice Shares Production Outlook and Consumer Trends at UK Rice Symposium

    Oct 19, 2016

    A delegation of USA Rice members and staff visited here last week to participate in the Biannual Symposium of the UK Rice Association, where more than 100 members of the UK rice trade, including importers, wholesalers, and retailers servicing the mainstream and ethnic markets gathered. Full story
  • Cuban-Farmers visit it-AR-Rice-Country, seated at family dinner table First Delegation of Cuban Farmers Visits Arkansas Rice Country

    Oct 19, 2016

    A group of Cuban farmers hosted by Winrock International traveled to Arkansas rice country this week in the first official visit of Cuban farmers to the United States in more than 50 years. Full story

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