Meet U.S. Rice Farmers
America's rice farmers are central to the farm-to-table philosophies at the core of menu development for today's chefs. Accounting for nearly 85% of the rice consumed in the U.S., 20 billion pounds of rice is grown and harvested by local farmers each year in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. Read more about our farmers' love of the land and for the many varieties of rice they grow.
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| Robert Petter Bluff, Arkansas |
Charley Mathews Marysville, California |
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| Jimmy Hoppe Iowa, Louisiana |
Sean Doherty Dunnigan, California |
Marvin Cochran Avon, Mississippi |
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| Linda & L.G. Raun El Campo, Texas |
Nicole Van Vleck Yuba City, California |
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The 10,000 bushels of rice Robert harvests each day will become part of the 20 billion pounds of U.S-grown rice produced by farmers in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas each year. Thanks to this abundance, nearly 85% of the rice that is consumed in the U.S. is grown here. Arkansas is the leading rice growing state with 1.3 million acres farmed each year of mostly long grain brown and white rice. Four generations of the Petter family have been farming for nearly 100 years and grow over 800 acres of rice. After harvest, Robert's fields become wintering grounds for birds and waterfowl which feed on the rice left behind. Robert is proud of the rice he grows and the wide selection available, which can be identified by USA Rice Federation's "Grown in the USA" logo. Robert notes that "consumers tell us that they have more confidence in home-grown agriculture because of our high production and quality standards. The logo makes it easy for chefs, operators and consumers to choose U.S.-grown rice. And it's a great way to show support for U.S. farmers and our economy." Robert is a dedicated farmer who can't imagine doing anything else. "I love being a rice farmer and seeing the results from the first seeds I plant in spring, to the late summer harvest, and then enjoying our rice at the family table." Learn more about Arkansas Rice Farmers at www.arkansasricefarmers.org. |
Arkansas rice farmer, Robert Petter begins each day routinely checking his machinery, including a large combine. Robert will spend most of his day cutting rice from the field and relying on his combine to separate the rice grain from the stalk before it's loaded into trucks. The rice is then transported to a nearby rice mill to begin the milling process.
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For more information on California rice and recipes from the California Rice Commission, visit www.calrice.org. |
A third generation rice farmer, Charley Mathews grows 500 acres of medium grain rice, contributing to the 500,000 acres of rice that California's Sacramento Valley farms each year. California, the second largest rice producing state, grows primarily Japonica-style medium grain rice including Calrose and short grain varieties including Koshihikari. The state also grows many specialty types like red, mahogany, black japonica and organic rice. If you eat sushi anywhere in the U.S., you can be assured that you are eating rice grown in the USA, and most often it's California's medium or short grain rice.
Charley says he is proud to grow U.S. rice because of its high quality, healthfulness, versatility and value. He's also pleased that California's rice fields provide a natural feeding habitat for some 240 species of ducks, geese and shorebirds during their annual fall and winter migrations. "California rice farmers are dedicated to nurturing wildlife, and our rice lands serve as a habitat for species that have become dependent on the environment created by rice fields," says Charley.
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A typical day begins at 6:00 a.m. with unloading grain from the previous evening's harvest at the local co-op before heading to the fields to cut rice. When the harvest is over, Jimmy's rice fields are flooded for a second crop production, and to attract migrating birds and waterfowl who feed on rice as they travel the "Mississippi Flyway" going south.
Jazzman rice is marketed by Jazzmen Rice, LLC in colorful, distinctive packaging that features legendary Louisiana Jazz musician Louis Armstrong, and is available from Falcon Rice Mill and its Cajun Country brand. "I am very proud that Louisiana farmers have brought Jazzman rice to chefs and consumers. There is a strong demand for aromatic rice, and now foodservice operators can buy domestic aromatic rice as they support U.S. farmers and the economy, which we appreciate," Jimmy said. |
As Jimmy Hoppe nurtures his rice crop in a small parish in Louisiana, he is also making history. Jimmy is among the first rice farmers to harvest a new aromatic jasmine-type variety, named Jazzman rice, to chefs and consumers. A third-generation rice producer, Jimmy plants 300 acres of rice, including 80 acres of Jazzman - which will increase significantly this year due to strong demand for innovative varieties suited to today's popular ethnic cuisines.
Louisiana, the third largest rice-producing state, typically plants about 450,000 acres of long and medium grain rice yielding 2.7 billion pounds. The Louisiana crop becomes part of the 20 billion pounds of U.S. rice, which is consumed in the states as well as distributed to more than 100 countries - making the U.S. the world's fourth largest exporter.
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The biggest challenge Sean faces is coping with unpredictable weather conditions. Even so, he enjoys being able to mark the seasons with the progress of his crops and sharing the changes and developments with his family and crews. He likes the simplicity and delicious flavor of a plain bowl of Calrose rice, however, his favorite rice dish is his wife Melissa’s Cold Rice Salad. Sean and his family get great satisfaction from the wildlife they see each day on their farm. The Dohertys appreciate the countless birds, including Bald Eagles, as well as reptiles and large mammals. They have also observed several endangered and threatened species that roam the habitat they provide. Sean says, "It’s a great feeling growing food and providing a home to such a wide range of wildlife." Sustainability is a family value as Sean wants his kids to have a chance to continue the farming tradition that has been passed from his grandfather, to his father and now to him. "The best chance for that to happen is for me to be a good steward of all that I have," notes Sean. |
At his Sacramento Valley farm, Sean grows and harvests about 4,200 acres of primarily medium grain Calrose varieties each year. Sean V. Doherty Farms also produces a wide variety of crops including alfalfa, edible dry beans and sunflower seeds.
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Texas is one of six states that grow the nation's rice supply, producing predominantly long grain rice. The Raun's also plant organic aromatic jasmine rice, which is marketed regionally under the Lowell Farms label. Linda has a love of the land and is proud to grow U.S. rice for its quality and healthfulness. Now, 100% U.S.-grown rice includes the USA Rice Federation "Grown in the USA" logo on packages. "If a chef or consumer chooses any rice with this logo, they can be assured they are purchasing a high quality food that is grown with love and care by their neighbors in the USA," Linda said. |
In El Campo, a small town off Texas' Gulf Coast, live rice farmers Linda and L.G. Raun. Rice has always been a part of their lives, with Linda's great grandfather helping bring the rice industry to Texas, and L.G.'s ancestors planting their first crop in 1915. Linda grew up eating rice as part of everyday meals, and throughout 35 years of marriage to L.G. the tradition hasn't changed. The entire Raun family, including Linda's brother-in-law and their nieces and nephews, grow 2,000 acres of long grain rice.
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The long grain rice that Marvin grows is the most popular type of rice consumed by Americans. It has a slender kernel, cooks up separate and fluffy, and is commonly used in pilafs, salads, sides and casseroles. Medium and short grain rice have a shorter kernel that cooks up moist and sticky, and are used for sushi, Asian dishes, puddings and risotto. Mississippi, fourth in U.S. rice production, has 225,000 acres of rice that becomes part of the 20 billion pounds of rice grown each year. U.S. farmers also produce an abundance of short, medium and long grain rice, as well as organic and specialty rices including jasmine, basmati, arborio, red aromatic and black japonica, among others. Marvin is a proud farmer who encourages consumers to buy domestically-grown rice to support U.S. rice farmers and the economy. "I grow my rice in a safe environment with the conservation of natural resources in mind. Rice farming helps create jobs in local communities. Buying domestically-grown rice also helps consumers reduce their food miles," he said. Sustainable farming is important to Marvin, as he has two children who he hopes will one day continue the family tradition of rice farming. |
Marvin Cochran, a third generation farmer, grows 1,800 acres of long grain rice on some of the Mississippi land that his grandparents once raised cotton on in the 1960s. An experienced farmer, Marvin looks forward to the challenges of each planting season and how wind, rain and temperature can affect his rice crop.
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Monta Farms is recognized as an industry leader in conservation, and works with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, Ducks Unlimited, California Waterfowl and PRBO Conservation Science on habitat preservation. During the winter months when the rice fields are flooded, hundreds of thousands of waterfowl and other species flock to the farm, leading Nicole to say that wildlife is their "winter crop." Their land has been dedicated through agricultural easements to maintain its existence as a productive farm and to provide wildlife habitat. Nicole, her husband Stan and her two children name sushi as their family's favorite rice dish and they typically eat it at least once a week. According to Nicole, "U.S. farmers and ranchers are hardworking and dedicated to providing high quality food to their consumers." She has a great deal of pride for the domestic agricultural industry and feels that it not only provides jobs in rural areas throughout the U.S. but also cultivates its role as stewards of the land. "We are proud that we provide an environment that maintains valuable resources and habitats," she says. |
Yuba City is home to Nicole Van Vleck, the Managing Partner of Montna Farms, a 128-year old family farm. In recent years, Montna Farms has developed a niche for growing premium Japonica-style short grain rice and dedicates 2,500 acres of land to production each year. Their primary variety is Koshihikari, a highPlease contact the USA Rice Federation with any inquiries.