LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas rice industry donated 284,990 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Foodbank in honor of National Rice Month today. Thanks to the ten mills who stepped up and made the donations, more than 4.5 million servings of rice will be distributed to help feed families, children, and seniors across the state.
Participating rice mills are Anheuser Busch of Jonesboro, Arkansas River Rice of Pine Bluff, Golden Ridge Rice Mill of Wynne, Isbell Farms of Humnoke, Poinsett Rice & Grain of Jonesboro, Producers Rice Mill of Stuttgart, Ralston Family Farms of Atkins, Riceland Foods, Inc. of Stuttgart, Riviana Foods of Carlisle, and Windmill Rice Company of Jonesboro.
"Arkansas rice farmers grow more than 50 percent of the nation’s total crop and will produce rice on 1.4 million acres this year in more than 40 counties, all of which are served by the food banks of Arkansas,” said Arkansas Rice Executive Director Kelly Robbins. “As rice harvest continues, our growers want to be good stewards by giving a portion of their crop to hunger relief efforts in our state."
September is also Hunger Action Month. Arkansas ranks first in the nation for food-insecurity. One in four children do not know where their next meal will come from and this rice donation will go directly to agency partners to fill shelves at food pantries for families in need.
“This gift of rice to the Foodbanks of Arkansas is so much more than just a meal. This rice will provide hope and nourishment to those who need it most,” said Arkansas Foodbank CEO Brian Burton. “This record-setting donation will be distributed between the five other Feeding America food banks in our state who are working to provide food to our neighbors: River Valley Regional Food Bank in Fort Smith; Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas in Jonesboro; Harvest Regional Food Bank in Texarkana; Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock; and Northwest Arkansas Food Bank in Springdale. All of us are incredibly grateful for our rice farmers who play such a critical role in the fight against hunger.”
Keith Glover, CEO of Producers Rice Mill and chair of USA Rice, who attended the event, said, "The Arkansas Rice industry has a long history of sharing the harvest with our neighbors in need and we were pleased that Governor Sanders was here to recognize the annual donation to the food bank."