\ENGLAND & NEWPORT, AR -- Flying high over Dow Brantley’s farm, a camera drone takes in the bird’s-eye view before swooping down at a high speed to hover over the bright green tillers like a dragonfly on steroids. Brantley stands in a nearby paddy, surrounded by camera equipment and lighting reflectors, patiently explaining for the third - or maybe the thirteenth time - the life cycle of a rice plant.
Twenty-four hours later, on her family’s farm in Newport, Jennifer James is participating in an on-camera interview on the patio of her duck camp talking about rice production on her farm. In the distance, GoPros mounted on a set of dirt pans record the distribution of soil based on a computerized plan that maximizes irrigation efficiency on a new field being readied for planting. Today the camera drone sails over grain bins and levees, and zooms along a reservoir, creating a long line of ripples in the clear, blue water glistening in the afternoon sun.
These “Hollywood comes to Arkansas” scenes are not the makings of a new reality TV show but part of a unique video project showcasing U.S. rice farming. Restaurant industry leader
P.F. Chang’s is creating a series of documentary-style videos to highlight the story behind the U.S.-grown grain that is integral to so many of the dishes featured on their menu.
USA Rice Director of Domestic Promotion Katie Maher explains: “To mark last September’s National Rice Month we partnered with P.F. Chang’s on the RiceGiving campaign, a charitable program that donated more than 100,000 pounds of rice to U.S. hunger relief and focused awareness on the U.S.-grown rice in every P.F. Chang’s restaurant. This year P.F. Chang’s is placing a deeper focus on the sourcing and stories behind their ingredients by making live action videos to share the beauty and artistry of farming to further tell the story of the food they serve and where it comes from.”
“Farm to Wok™ has been our food philosophy since the day we opened. It’s been our story – and now we are telling it,” said Dwayne Chambers, P.F. Chang’s chief marketing officer. “Many guests don’t know that every one of our restaurants has a scratch kitchen. This means our chefs are preparing food fresh every day – chopping vegetables, hand rolling sushi, and crafting handmade cocktails from fresh squeezed fruits. We want to share the stories of the people who make this possible.”
The U.S. rice video is one of many in a series of P.F. Chang’s videos highlighting different ingredients and their natural source, including green onions, honey, and ginger. P.F. Chang’s plans to debut their video about local rice farms this September in celebration and support of National Rice Month.
“I enjoy promoting U.S.-grown rice any way I can and if this video helps spread the word, I’m in,” said James. “The fact that P.F. Chang’s, a household name with a great reputation, sources all of their rice locally from U.S. farmers is so important and I appreciate them wanting to share our story with their customers. It’s proof that their commitment to the integrity of their ingredients and the food they share with guests is real.”