Senator John Boozman (back row, third from left) welcomes the Riceland delegation to Washington, DC
Jul 25, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – The Riceland In-Depth Leadership Class spent the week here, in the fourth and final session of its leadership development program, meeting with key agricultural stakeholders and policymakers to gain firsthand insights into the legislative process and advocating on behalf of rice producers and the broader agricultural community.
Members of the class include farmers: Cole Hicks, Bono, AR; Mikka Felty, Paragould, AR ; Daniel Gaddy, McCrory, AR; Jordan Maier, Stuttgart, AR; Ryan Riley, New Madrid, MO; and Tyler Nutt, Paragould, AR. In addition to Shea, the class was joined in Washington by Riceland Foods staff: Bill Free, Stuttgart, AR (Farmer Relations); Misty Morris, Paragould, AR (Farmer Relations); Matt Verser, Jonesboro, AR (Farmer Relations & Sustainability), and Austin Brown, Little Rock, AR (Sustainability).
While in the nation’s capital, the group engaged with leaders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, USA Rice, and Ducks Unlimited. A key highlight of the week was time spent in meaningful and productive conversations with members of Arkansas’s congressional delegation, including Senator John Boozman and staff from the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Tom Cotton, Representative Rick Crawford, and Representative Bruce Westerman.
In addition, they held meetings with staff from the House Agriculture Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. The class expressed gratitude for their continued efforts in shaping policies that directly support the rice industry, particularly those included in the recent reconciliation legislation related to the farm bill safety nets and tax provisions.
“Given the current state of the agricultural economy, the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill could not have come at a more critical time,” said Adam Shea, Riceland Foods vice president of government affairs and sustainability. “By including modernized safety net improvements and farm-friendly tax provisions in the reconciliation package, Congress was able to deliver a lot of the certainty and support we’ve been looking for in a new farm bill – a huge win for agriculture.”
The visit not only highlighted the importance of strong agricultural policy but also served as a key experience for the leadership class, giving them a deeper understanding of how advocacy supports the future of farming and getting them better equipped to serve as informed leaders in their communities and throughout the agricultural industry.