Committee Descriptions

Consists of USA Rice members who can provide financial expertise and is responsible for oversight of the annual financial audits and reports to the Boards of Directors.

Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of strategic industry communications and assists in the planning of conventions and meetings.

Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of activities aimed to increase awareness and encourage the use of U.S. rice in the domestic market.  The DPC has four subcommittees:

1. Domestic Usage Report Subcommittee – Provides specific guidance and insight into the data collection that culminates in the creation and distribution of the annual Domestic Usage Report (DUR).
2. Foodservice Subcommittee – Provides specific guidance and insight for the development of foodservice promotional programming.
3. Nutrition Subcommittee – Provides specific guidance and insight for rice’s nutrition programming.
4. Retail Subcommittee – Provides specific guidance and insight for the development of retail/consumer promotional programming.

Serves as a conference committee of representatives from all membership sectors; reviews and consolidates recommendations on legislative, regulatory, trade policy and/or other government-affairs related issues rising from USA Rice member boards, e.g. USA Rice Farmers, USA Rice Millers’ Association, USA Rice Merchants’ Association; then conveys consensus recommendations to the USA Rice Board of Directors for final action.

Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of activities  that utilize industry, federal, and other funds to expand access in current international markets and gain access to new international markets, and for advertising and promoting sales and consumption of U.S. rice in international markets.  The IPC has four subcommittees:

1. Asia, Turkey Promotion Subcommittee – Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of promotional activities to expand access in Asian markets (including Turkey) and gain access in new export markets. 
2. Europe, Africa, Middle East Promotion Subcommittee – Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of promotional activities to expand access in Europe, Africa, and Middle East markets and gain access in new export markets. 
3. Western Hemisphere Promotion Subcommittee – Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of promotional activities to expand access in Western Hemisphere markets and gain access in new export markets.
4. Food Aid Subcommittee – Provides oversight, guidance, and evaluation of activities to increase the use of U.S. rice in international food assistance programs. Activities include raising awareness of rice and fortified rice with the private volunteer organizations (PVOs) that program rice in international food assistance programs and working with various U.S. and other agencies to encourage additional utilization of U.S. rice.

Provides guidance on trade and governmental policies, programs, and activities to increase international market access for U.S. rice.  The ITPC has four subcommittees:

1. Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee – Provides trade policy guidance on trade policy specific to U.S. markets in Asia and Turkey.
2. Europe, Africa, Middle East Trade Policy Subcommittee – Provides trade policy guidance specific to U.S. markets in Europe, Africa, and Middle East.
3. Western Hemisphere Trade Policy Subcommittee – Provides trade policy guidance specific to U.S. markets in the Western Hemisphere.
4. World Market Price Subcommittee – Meets three times a year with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to review domestic and  international market developments that impact the profitability of U.S. rice industry, including review of rice stocks and reported rough rice prices with NASS.
   

Serves as a forum on issues related to the marketability and competitiveness of U.S. rice and reports to the USA Rice Board of Directors.

Provides guidance on rice-related regulatory and food safety issues.

Works to enhance U.S. rice’s position as a sustainable, environmentally friendly, and healthy product.

Discusses issues and recommendations related to futures contract and reports to the USA Rice Board of Directors.