Sustainability Webinar Series

U.S. Rice: The Sustainability Powerhouse

Webinar Overview:
The U.S. rice industry’s commitment to sustainability dates back generations, long before the word “sustainability” became a popular, if difficult to define, term. The Rice Foundation commissioned the U.S. Rice Industry Sustainability Report to collect in one place the outstanding accomplishments of the past 36 years across key markers: land use and soil conservation, water use and quality, energy use and air quality, and biodiversity. In this webinar, you’ll hear from U.S. rice farmers on why preserving resources and providing habitat is important to them, and why end users are making investments around the implementation of more sustainable practices.

Speakers:

• Jennifer James, Rice Farmer & Chair USA Rice Sustainability Committee
• Bill Jones, Rice Agronomy Manager, Anheuser-Busch
• Paul Buttner, Manager of Environmental Affairs, California Rice Commission
• George Dunklin, Owner/Manager, Five Oaks Lodge & Past President Ducks Unlimited

U.S. Rice: Sustaining Communities and Looking to the Future 

Webinar Overview:
The U.S. rice industry has seen improvements in six key performance indicators in the 36 years from 1980 to 2015 and the is working to continue improvements. In this webinar we talk about the industry’s 2030 goals of continuous improvement and what rice extension specialists think will help farmers and millers achieve them. As we look to the future, many small towns in U.S. rice growing regions, now more than ever rely on the rice industry to thrive. As the economic engine of these towns, the industry provides jobs, contributes to the community, and sustains the local economy. Hear about the commitment of the industry to these areas and how businesses and farms in these small rural towns make all the difference. 

Speakers:

• Carl Brothers, Retired, Riceland Foods
• Jarrod Hardke, Extension Rice Specialist, University of Arkansas
• Bobby Golden, Extension Rice Specialist, Mississippi State University
  
• Dustin Harrell, Extension Rice Specialist, Louisiana State University

Seeking Net Neutral: Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Rice Industry

Webinar Overview:
Multiple efficiencies, from more fuel-efficient farm equipment to on-farm advances that require fewer passes on or above the field, have helped U.S. rice farmers make great strides in reducing energy use. At the mill, production facility efficiencies and renewable energy are becoming increasingly common, with enterprising millers working to convert waste — rice hulls — into energy. Across the industry, integrating solar technology is reducing energy costs with a vision to become energy neutral. 

Speakers:

• Fred Zaunbrecher, Rice Farmer
• Chris Crutchfield, President and CEO/Partner, American Commodity Co., LLC
• Carl Kiser, Plant Manager, Agrilectric Power Partners and Agrilectric Research Co.
• AJ Hood, Rice Farmer

Water Use in Rice: The Efficiency Win-Win

Webinar Overview:
In this webinar you’ll hear from farmers and rice irrigation specialists on practices like Multiple Inlet Rice Irrigation (MIRI), Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), furrow irrigated rice (row rice), water recycling systems, and new technology that’s making rice irrigation more efficient and easier to manage. U.S. rice farmers use a variety of practices to improve efficiency and reduce overall water use, but not every technique will work on every field. There are many variables that come into play, but with a commitment to research and continuous improvement, rice farmers continue to innovate to use water efficiently and save some money along the way.

Speakers:

• Dr. Michele Reba, Research Hydrologist, Lead Scientist, Delta Water Management Research Unit, USDA-ARS
• Scott Matthews, Rice Farmer
• Christian Richard, Rice Farmer