• In Memory: Richard Bell

    Mar 16, 2015

    Richard E. "Dick" Bell The U.S. rice industry is deeply saddened by the passing of Richard E. "Dick" Bell, 81, in Stuttgart, Arkansas on March 13. Bell was president and CEO of Riceland Foods for more than 23 years. In 2005, he was named Arkansas's first Secretary of Agriculture, a post he held until he retired in 2012. Full story
  • USA Rice Looks for Market Opportunities in the Philippines

    Mar 13, 2015

    MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- This week, USA Rice is participating in a USDA-sponsored Agribusiness Trade Mission to Malaysia and the Philippines led by Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse. Today, USA Rice Vice President for International Promotion Jim Guinn received a detailed briefing on the economic, agricultural, and political situation in the region from U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg and his embassy staff. Full story
  • USA Rice Identifies Market Challenges in Malaysia

    Mar 12, 2015

    KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA -- Earlier this week, USA Rice visited Malaysia as part of a USDA-sponsored Agribusiness Trade Mission to Malaysia and the Philippines led by Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse, and found a complicated rice import scheme that does present some opportunities. Full story
  • California Agricultural Leadership Group Visits USA Rice

    Mar 11, 2015

    ARLINGTON, VA -- Class 45 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program visited USA Rice Federation headquarters today to learn about the work of the national rice organization. Full story
  • Louisiana Shorebird Extravaganza to Connect Working Rice Lands with Precious Habitat

    Mar 10, 2015

    JENNINGS, LA -- The same folks who host the Yellow Rails and Rice Festival each fall have organized a new festival, called "Waders in Working Wetlands: Shorebird Extravaganza," that highlights the springtime abundance of bird life in the rice-crawfish agricultural areas of southwest Louisiana. Full story
  • In Memory: Mike Danna

    Mar 10, 2015

    BATON ROUGE, LA -- USA Rice is deeply saddened by the death of Michael Danna, director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and host of the organization's long-running television program "This Week in Louisiana Agriculture." He died Friday, March 6, in Baton Rouge at age 54 after a battle with cancer. Full story
  • Brantley Reminds Farm Bill Extended Deadlines Approach

    Mar 10, 2015

    ENGLAND, AR -- USA Rice Federation Chairman Dow Brantley already updated yields and reallocated base acres for his Lonoke County, Arkansas farm, but he knows not everyone has done the same. He warns time is running out. Full story
  • USA Rice Reps Visit Cuba with Ag Coalition

    Mar 06, 2015

    HAVANA, CUBA -- Missouri rice farmer Rance Daniels and Riceland Foods Senior Vice President of Marketing and Risk Management Terry Harris represented the U.S. rice industry on a trip with more than 90 people involved in agriculture and education visiting Cuba this week. The group, traveling as the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC), included two former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture, Mike Espy and John Block, and the First Lady of Missouri Georgeanne Nixon. Full story
  • Jimmy Hoppe Inducted into Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction

    Mar 06, 2015

    BATON ROUGE, LA -- Jimmy Hoppe, a rice farmer from Iowa LA, was just the fourth person honored by being inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction (see USA Rice Daily story, January 29, 2015). Full story
  • USA Rice Launches Flickr Account: Get Up Close and Personal with USA Rice

    Feb 27, 2015

    ARLINGTON, VA -- Ready for your close up? The USA Rice Federation is launching its Flickr account, a popular website designed to optimize the process of sharing photos publicly. Full story
  • World Market Price Meeting Covers Reporting Mechanisms, Thailand, South Korea and More

    Feb 27, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday morning, the World Market Price Subcommittee convened to discuss planting prospects for the coming year, rice price reporting to National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and trade issues facing the rice industry. Full story
  • In Victory for Farmers, USDA Extends Base Acre and Yield Update Deadline

    Feb 27, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a one month extension for producers to update yield history and reallocate base acres for the new commodity programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The previous cutoff date had been today, but the new deadline is now March 31, 2015. Full story
  • Impressive Speakers, Positive Results at USA Rice Government Affairs Conference

    Feb 26, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice Federation's annual Government Affairs Conference concluded here yesterday after three days of meetings with legislators, regulators, and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department's U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Full story
  • NRCS Extends Deadline for CSP Sign-Ups

    Feb 25, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering a renewal option through Tuesday, March 31, 2015 for eligible growers with expiring Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts. These producers must be willing to adopt additional conservation activities aimed at helping them achieve higher levels of conservation on their farms, forests and ranches. Full story
  • Secretary Vilsack Talks Ag Trade and Conservation at USA Rice Conference

    Feb 25, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack took to the stage at USA Rice Federation's Government Affairs Conference yesterday to praise and congratulate the whole ag sector for five consecutive years of growth, and the rice industry in particular for their commitment to conservation. Full story
  • Farm Bill Sign-Up Deadline is Friday

    Feb 25, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Farm Bill base acreage and yield update deadlines are still due this Friday although the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has made assurances that just being in the official registry will preclude any penalties. Full story
  • 2015 Dietary Guidelines Stresses Sustainability and Shift to Plant-Based Diet, Rice Well-Positioned

    Feb 23, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Advisory Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) for public comment and rice remains well-positioned thanks to the industry's sustainability record and the committee's grains recommendation. Full story
  • Western Port Slowdown Appears to Be Over

    Feb 23, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Media are reporting that an agreement has been reached between dockworkers and employers to bring an end to the work slowdown that has reduced trade in and out of 29 western ports to a slow drip. Full story
  • Vilsack, Moran, Conaway and Other VIPs Headline USA Rice's Government Affairs Conference

    Feb 20, 2015

    ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation Government Affairs Conference starts Monday, February 23, in Washington, DC with an impressive list of important and powerful ag speakers, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Full story
  • Revenue Protection Not Offered in 2015 Rice Crop Insurance Policies

    Feb 18, 2015

    WASHINGTON, DC -- Earlier this month, the Risk Management Agency announced that revenue protection (RP) will not be offered with any rice crop insurance policies for the 2015 crop year due to "an insufficient number of full active trading days, as stipulated in the Commodity Exchange Price Provisions." Rice policies with RP or RP-HPE (harvest price exclusion) will be available in future crop years pending a sufficient number of full active trading days. Yield protection (YP) policies will remain available for the 2015 crop. Full story

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