LITTLE ROCK, AR – The U.S. rice industry reinforces its longstanding commitment to conservation and sustainability each year by recognizing industry leaders to showcase their stewardship efforts in conserving and efficiently using natural resources while bolstering wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
At the Annual Rice Awards Luncheon for the 2024 USA Rice Outlook Conference last Tuesday, California rice grower and chair of the USA Rice Farmers Conservation Committee Leo LaGrande presented the 2024 Distinguished Conservation Achievement Award to Mike Sullivan, for his distinguished 40-plus-year career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, including more than a decade as the Arkansas State Conservationist.
“This award recognizes exemplary leadership and significant conservation efforts that have benefited the U.S. rice industry, natural resources, waterfowl, and wildlife at local, state, and national levels,” said LaGrande. “Mike has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to these ideals during his many years of service at NRCS.”
As co-chair of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program Task Force, Sullivan was instrumental in enhancing this vital program, particularly for the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership and other partners. He has been a tireless advocate for the adoption of working lands conservation programs on ricelands, and consistently championed the core principles of these programs – ensuring they remain voluntary, incentive-based, and locally-led.
The USA Rice Sustainability Award was created in 2016 to recognize the efforts of all segments of the industry to not only conserve natural resources, but to find innovative ways to address all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social sustainability. A subcommittee of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee chooses the winner based on several criteria, including leadership in the industry and broader sustainability community, and a history of promoting and advancing sustainability through innovative practices.
The Riceland Sustainability Team and its Carbon Ready™ Program received the 2024 USA Rice Sustainability Award in recognition of their efforts, in partnership with Arva Intelligence, to not only reward farmers implementing sustainable farming practices, but also give them the tools and support needed to adopt new sustainable practices moving forward.
Adam Shea, vice president of government affairs and sustainability at Riceland Foods, Inc., accepted the award with the Sustainability Team members, Austin Brown and Chandler Holcomb.
"What an honor it is for our program to receive this recognition from our peers in the rice industry," Shea said. "This award represents a decade of work in carving out a place for farmers to make a meaningful impact using sustainable rice growing practices and receive a premium from the marketplace for those efforts on the farm."