SACRAMENTO, CA -- Who wouldn't want to spend a week here getting an overview of California's rice marketing and production practices, crop diversity, conservation and environmental issues, and a close-up look at the state's rice harvest? It's an itinerary any young rice farmer would love.
We asked the seven members of the 2014-16 Rice Leadership Class for their impressions of the week-long learning session that included tours of the Glenn Colusa Irrigation District, an aerial audit of the Oroville Dam, Lake Shasta, and the Salinas Valley water systems, and a research update from Dr. Kent McKenzie, director of the California Rice Research Station in Biggs. They also got to experience rice harvesting on Leo LaGrande's ranch, hear about conservation practices at Montna Farms, and tour PGP International where they observed the many ways rice is used as an ingredient. Here's what they told us.
"I gained a new respect for growers in California while on this trip. They continue to produce a high quality crop despite the exceptional drought and intense regulation." -- Derek Haigwood, rice farmer from Newport, AR
"The trip was very insightful on the complexity of issues the local rice industry faces. From water and air quality issues, to wildlife preservation, to water availability, and increased cost of production for producers, it became apparent very quickly that the California rice industry is a different ballgame from the South. It appears to be a delicate political and regulatory balance of which everyone along the supply chain was cognizant."-- Jonathan Hobbs, Russell Marine Group
"It is important in every area of life to build strong relationships. Through the Rice Leadership Development program I have been given the opportunity to meet and get to know people from every corner of the rice industry. I have learned that though there are miles between us, we are more the same than we are different. This program has definitely challenged me to think about our industry in a different way. Instead of asking the question: "What's good for me?" Let's ask the question: "What's good for all of us?" -- Jeremy Jones, rice farmer from England, AR
"This leg of the program in California has been great. I have gotten to see parts of the region that I was not familiar with yet. I especially appreciated learning about water rights and water issues facing California. I am hoping others get a good sense of the struggles we have with regulations and labor so they can go back to their states and address the issues proactively." -- John Munger, rice farmer from Yuba City, CA
"Thank you to all the California rice industry leaders for taking the time to provide our class with a very educational week. It was quite the eye-opening experience to see first-hand all of the challenges California faces. It was apparent the industry out there has adapted very well to all of these challenges. Coming from the South, I think we should use California's approach to dealing with issues as a game plan for the same challenges almost certainly headed our way."-- Will Reneau, rice farmer from Beaumont, TX
"Participation in the Leadership Class will help me in my career because it has made me a better storyteller, not just to tell the stories of Louisiana farmers but also those in Arkansas, California, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas. It's helping me inform stakeholders."-- A.J. Sabine, TWILA in Baton Rouge, LA
"Seeing all of the regulations that California producers are facing makes me afraid of what's coming down the pipeline for Arkansas. We need to keep working together to make the U.S. rice industry as strong as possible for future generations."-- Clay Schaefer, rice farmer from Hunter, AR
The program is sponsored by John Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and American Commodity Company through The Rice Foundation and managed by USA Rice.