Rice in Action in the Delta

DELTA REGION, MS -- With rice harvest around the bend in the Mississippi Delta, USA Rice staff, Jamison Cruce, Ben Mosely, and Steve Linscombe, spent time last week visiting with members and attending the annual Mississippi State University (MSU) Rice Field Day.
 
Staff traveled around Mississippi rice country surveying the rice crop, and checking out conservation enhancements in rice fields that were funded by the USA Rice Stewardship Partnership's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  Tour host Trey Cooke, of Delta F.A.R.M and a member of the USA Rice Farmers Conservation Committee, said, "The assistance RCPP has provided to help our rice farmers address water quantity, water quality, and wildlife habitat issues goes well beyond the monetary value.  The results are tangible and part of the ongoing conservation efforts to improve and enhance our nation's critical natural and economic resources."
 
The team also visited the Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc. headquarters in Greenville.  The company handles rice in addition to soybeans, corn, and milo, and celebrated its 50-year anniversary on August 1.  Staff met with Vice President for Rice John Oakes, a member of the USA Rice Futures Contract Working Group and Western Hemisphere Promotion Subcommittee, along with Steve Nail, chief executive officer, and Will Weathers, customer relations manager. Following a productive meeting, Oakes led the staff on a tour of the Greenville facilities.
 
At Delta Seed & Supply in Arcola, staff met with Louis Weeks and local Washington County rice farmer Carter Murrell to learn about identity preserved rice varieties that are being produced in the area and discuss sustainability practices setting Delta Seed apart from traditional rice dryers.

Staff then attended the Delta Council board of directors policy meeting that afternoon focused on the Council's ongoing economic development efforts throughout the Delta and infrastructure challenges throughout the state.
 
At a meeting of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation's Rice Policy Review Subcommittee, Mosely presented a legislative and regulatory update, and Linscombe gave an overview of the Rice Leadership Development Program.

The "rice pretenders" issue was a major topic of discussion.  Staff provided an update on USA Rice's campaign to prevent the use of the word "rice" in marketing products that contain no rice at all.  Consequently, the Subcommittee adopted a policy to provide a standard of identity (SOI) for rice that will be forwarded for consideration by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation delegates at their annual meeting this winter.

The statement says the group opposes the word "rice" being misused, similar to the position adopted recently in Arkansas, and calls on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to adopt and enforce the common scientifically-accepted SOI for rice, "as whole or broken kernels from the Oryza sativa L. plant and the four species of grasses from the genus Zizania."

If successfully adopted, the policy will be considered by American Farm Bureau delegates next January.

Finally, staff attended and presented at the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center Rice Field Day.  MSU rice agronomist Bobby Golden kicked off the program before USA Rice staff presented Farm Bill and trade updates, and made a pitch to young farmers about the Rice Leadership Development Program.  During the five field tour stops, MSU Research and Extension personnel, along with MSU graduate students, talked about the latest research updates and findings in the areas of breeding; variety trials; disease, insect, and weed control; and agronomics.
 
"Everything we heard from the field -- conservation projects, research developments, and policy efforts -- was impressive," said Mosely.  "We also got a lot of good feedback on what USA Rice can do to keep things moving in a positive direction for Mississippi rice."