Arkansas Rice Industry Donates More Than 18,000 Pounds Of Rice To Needy Families

Little Rock , AR., September 9, 2004 — In honor of National Rice Month, the Arkansas rice industry donated more than 18,000 pounds of rice this week to help feed needy families. The rice will provide 432,000 servings of rice to hungry families in Arkansas. Participating rice mills included Cormier Rice Milling, DeWitt; Producers Rice Mill, Stuttgart; Riceland Foods, Stuttgart; Riviana Foods, Carlisle; and Specialty Rice, Brinkley.

The Arkansas Rice Council presented the rice to Laura Rhea, president and CEO of the Arkansas Rice Depot, a statewide food bank that works with 600 Arkansas hunger programs, including food pantries, school food programs, disaster relief and a statewide hunger hotline.

“The Arkansas Rice Depot is celebrating their 22nd anniversary this year,” Rhea said. “We began by purchasing rice to distribute to needy families and have since evolved into a statewide organization helping families across Arkansas – and it’s all thanks to rice growers.” Last year, the Arkansas Rice Depot distributed more than five million pounds of food to 73,630 needy Arkansas families.

David Burleson, chairman of the board of the Arkansas Rice Depot’s board of directors, thanked the Arkansas rice industry for donating rice to feed the needy.

Arkansas is the nation’s largest rice-growing state, producing nearly nine billion pounds annually. Sponsored by the USA Rice Federation, National Rice Month is now in its 14th year.

USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the rice industry, conducting activities to influence government programs, developing and initiating programs to increase worldwide demand for U.S. rice, and providing other services to increase profitability for all industry segments.

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Contact:
Chuck Wilson, USA Rice Federation
(870) 673-7541
cwilson@usarice.com