ROGERS, AR – The nation’s state secretaries, commissioners, and directors of agriculture gathered here last week for their annual conference and against the backdrop of a frightening ag economy, history was made.
In his role as president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and event host, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward announced that attendance for the event was the highest ever with more than 450 in-person attendees and more than 100 participating in streaming activities.
Following Ward’s welcome, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders thanked the crowd for attending and mentioned that despite the precarious state of the ag economy, Arkansas’ rice farmers and industry had donated more than 300,000 pounds of rice to area food banks the week before.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made headlines during her speech for saying that she knows farmers need assistance and they need it soon and that she has made President Trump aware.
Over the next two days, attendees broke into regional groups to discuss the challenges facing the industry and how the states are dealing with them. From changes to federal grant programs meant to address food insecurity to imported radioactive shrimp, there was no topic not touched.
During a dinner of the Southern Agriculture State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA) hosted by Ward,
The Rice Stuff host Michael Klein sat down with Ward and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain to zero in on a few issues including water regulation and promotion of local ag products. That’s in the
latest episode, #122, available now.
The U.S. rice industry was well represented from multiple stages throughout the event. USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann was tapped to speak on trade issues at the NASDA Marketing and International Trade Committee meeting where he explained, among other things, that the rice industry is not as hostile to the President’s reciprocal tariffs because the industry has been victimized for decades by India and Thailand that openly flaunt trade agreements.
USA Rice Chair and Producers Rice Mill CEO Keith Glover spoke from the main stage during a plenary on Day Three, sharing the importance of rice to the local and national economies, and introducing and moderating a panel on rice, water, and wildlife that featured Arkansas rice farmers Mark Isbell and Jim Whitaker.
Other speakers included Walmart Senior Vice President of Fresh Foods Martin Mundo, CEO of Tyson Foods Donnie King, and NASDA CEO Ted McKinney.
Ward’s team also organized multiple educational tours in the region to Tyson and Walmart operations, local restaurants, and more. The staff also kept a large display of Arkansas-produced food products well-stocked, despite Klein and Bachmann’s efforts to deplete it. Among the items were rice from Riceland and Producers, rice krispy-style treats from Arkansas Rice, and new flavored microwaveable rice packs from Ralston Family Farms.
During the conference, Ward passed the NASDA gavel to Amanda Beal, commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.