COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Founded in 1899, the USA Rice Millers’ Association (RMA) is one of the oldest agribusiness trade organizations in America and their 117th convention, held here last week, celebrated that endurance with the theme: RMA – Then and Now. RMA Chairman Robert Trahan peppered his remarks each day with facts about historic events from 1899 and attendees were encouraged to visit the RMA History Booth, set up in the Exhibit Hall, featuring old convention guides dating back to the 1920s and a photo gallery of past chairmen.
The convention kicked off with the presentation of the RMA Distinguished Service Award - only the eleventh ever given - to Mrs. Toshiko Satake, current president and CEO of the Satake Corporation, recognizing her outstanding lifetime contributions to the U.S. rice milling industry. Last month Trahan and Convention Committee Chair Ken LaGrande traveled to Hiroshima, Japan, to deliver the award to Mrs. Satake in person. A short
video of their award presentation was shown and Trahan said, “Anyone who knows Mrs. Satake knows that she has a passion for rice milling - for making it better, more efficient, more cost effective, and to help all of us produce rice of the highest quality.”
The general session and trade show focused on the future with presentations on new products and technologies, and educational programming centered on strategic analysis of current situations and how it will impact our lives going forward. “Our world seems to be changing at breakneck speed and this year’s convention content, from the trade show to the general sessions, was a tutorial on planning for the future, not only for our industry, but for the planet as a whole,” said Trahan.
For Scott Aughenbaugh, a global trend analyst with the Center for Strategic & International Studies, the future isn’t next year or the year after but the year 2035! He talked about the seven drivers that will influence that future: population, resources, technology, information, economics, security, and governance. And predicted that big changes in the global population, increased urbanization, and allocation of resources will create very different markets for business in the future.
Success in the future, according to Michael Swanson, an economist with Wells Fargo & Company, requires historical analysis to get that competitive edge. Swanson said everything is connected, “having all these loops – farmer, miller, consumer – running simultaneously makes it difficult” so looking back at previous trends and cycles helps determine relevant connections. He pointed out, for instance, that today the price of every grain and oilseed is measured against the price of corn. He also said the food and beverage sector is holding stable, accounting for about 10 percent of GDP, but more money is being spent off the farm and value add comes from processing and transportation.
Finally, convention attendees got a glimpse into the future of the retail food industry from Harry Stagnito, founder and CEO of Stagnito Partners. Stagnito’s Chicago-based company tracks the retail product lifecycle, from initial consumer interest to final shopper satisfaction, and according to their research, U.S. rice is at the forefront of consumer desire. Healthy, trend-setting, and adaptability are key messages for the “store of tomorrow” and U.S. rice fits all three. Stagnito predicts retail emphasis on multicultural cuisine with in-store chefs and registered dietitians providing research and recipes to individual shoppers, what he called “hyper personalization and interactivity,” and said successful brands will focus on an emotional overview when it comes to quality, packaging, and promotion.
“To paraphrase Scott Aughenbaugh, our interest should be in the future because we’re going to spend the rest of our lives there,” said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “Throughout this convention, each speaker emphasized the constant need to look forward and for industry leaders to be vigilant about what’s on the horizon.”
Chairman Trahan summed up the importance of the RMA by saying, “RMA membership, which includes farmer-owned cooperatives, privately-owned mills, and associate members like exporters and shippers, represents virtually all of U.S. rice milling capacity. We have a proud history and legacy, and whether this was someone’s first meeting or their 40th, we are all part of that tradition with a responsibility to shape our future.”