Ducks Unlimited National Convention: Eat More Rice, Feed More Ducks

SAN DIEGO, CA – Last week, hundreds gathered here to celebrate another year of conservation and waterfowl at the 87th Ducks Unlimited National Convention.  Members and staff from USA Rice and the California Rice Commission were among the attendees.

The partnership between ducks and rice was on full display in multiple venues throughout the meeting.  USA Rice and the California Rice Commission were sponsors of the four-day event.  

In a first-ever accomplishment for Ducks Unlimited, it was announced the organization had successfully conserved one million acres in just one year.  This remarkable feat includes U.S. rice and rice rotation acres.

Montna Farms hosted a sushi roll-off, a competition between three Ducks Unlimited volunteer leaders for who could roll the best displayed sushi roll using the short-grain rice variety Tamanishiki.  And Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam’s annual report during the business meeting gave the Rice Stewardship Partnership a special shout-out.

The USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership was formed in 2013 and was the first collaboration of its kind between an agricultural commodity organization and a conservation group.  Celebrating its 11th anniversary this year, the Partnership has been an overwhelming success resulting in more than 800,000 acres of rice and rice rotation ground beneficially impacted by on-the-ground conservation.

“What a great convention hosted by Ducks Unlimited with conservation accomplishment after accomplishment recognized and celebrated,” said Leo LaGrande, a California rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Farmers Conservation Committee.  “I was proud to be a part of the rice industry delegation and appreciated the many opportunities to share rice farmers’ conservation stories to ensure those outside of rice country understand the role rice farms play in the migratory waterfowl flyways and our other numerous environmental benefits.”