Packed-Houses at Both CRC Annual Grower Meetings

YUBA CITY, CA — Yesterday, the California Rice Commission (CRC) held its annual grower meetings here and in Colusa to share industry updates with its membership.

Presentations were given by Kahn, Soares & Conway, California state lobbyists, The Russell Group, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Northern California Water Association, and USA Rice.  The majority of conversations centered around state and federal politics, agriculture and trade priorities in 2023, and the outlook for spring water allocations in the Sacramento Valley.

Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president for policy and government affairs, reported on the Biden Administration’s trade policy and impacts for U.S. rice trade.  “Despite three years of extreme drought forcing a short crop in 2022, exports remained vital for California rice growers with continued sales in key markets Japan and Korea and important relationship building with customers overseas,” he said.

In addition to the formal presentations on the agenda, Mississippi rice farmer and USA Rice Chair Kirk Satterfield also traveled here to meet with growers and other members to talk about 2023 priorities.

“It was great to bring our growers and others from the industry together this week,” said Rick Rhody, California rice miller and current chair of the CRC.  “After a difficult year, we are encouraged by snow and rain levels so far, and the industry is obviously optimistic about recovering many of the rice acres that were not allocated irrigation water in 2022.”