Homegrown display at Louisiana Food & Wine Festival
Sep 26, 2025
LOUISIANA RICE COUNTRY – September National Rice Month (NRM) is always a whirlwind of activity in Louisiana! There are so many celebrations, cooking contests, and charitable donations during NRM that they don't all fit. Stay tuned for the 88th International Rice Festival in Crowley, Louisiana, October 16-19.
Last week, the Calcasieu-Cameron Rice Growers Association celebrated NRM with their annual cooking contest, hosted at the Port of Lake Charles. Area high school students compete with favorite rice recipes for prizes and bragging rights. Ricky Self, executive director for the Port of Lake Charles, talked to the students about the importance of the rice industry and its economic impact in southwest Louisiana before they headed out on a tour of the port. Upon their return, the students, along with members of the Cal-Cam Rice Growers Association, enjoyed lunch, and recognized all the participants and their entries, including this year’s winners: Bella Cash from DeQuincy High School who took first place for her Chicken Wild Rice Soup, and Kyra Ramirez from Westlake High for her Heart-Healthy Mexican Chicken Tacos.
USA Rice also participated in the annual Louisiana Food & Wine Festival last weekend in Lake Charles. With samples of jasmine, long, medium, and parboiled rice, and low glycemic rice donated by Cajun Country, Farmers Rice Mill, Kennedy Rice Mill/4 Sisters Rice, Parish Rice, and Supreme Rice Mill to hand out, the USA Rice booth was bustling for two days as hundreds of foodies swarmed the event. The crawfish étouffée prepared by Supreme’s Henry Helo was also a crowd-pleaser, and though it wasn’t entered into the competitions, it would have done well!
Tomorrow, the football rivalry between the University of Louisiana Monroe Warhawks and the Arkansas State Red Wolves that has simmered for more than two decades, takes on new meaning for what has been dubbed the “Rice Bowl Rivalry” in partnership with USA Rice. The name is inspired by the miles of rice fields that lie between the universities’ campuses in Monroe, Louisiana, and Jonesboro, Arkansas, which yield some of the largest rice crops in the United States.
The Rice Bowl Rivalry game, which also serves as ULM’s 2025 Homecoming game, will kick off at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 27, at Malone Stadium in Monroe. The winner will take home the Rice Bowl trophy, newly created by USA Rice. The name of each year’s winner will be inscribed on the base of the trophy, which they will display until the next year’s matchup.
“Agriculture is such an integral part of the fabric of both of our states, and we are excited to host the first edition of the new ‘Rice Bowl Rivalry’ at ULM,” said ULM President Dr. Carrie L. Castille. “I’m grateful to President Kelly at ASU for seeing the value of coming together to celebrate the rich tradition of rice growing in our states and I offer a special thanks to USA Rice for their support. I am hopeful that this game will grow into a cherished tradition that we look forward to each year.”
USA Rice will also host a free tailgate in ULM’s Grove prior to the game, beginning at 12:00 p.m. The public is invited to try a variety of dishes made with U.S.-grown rice prepared by teams from each state. A panel of judges will choose a winner from all entries.
During the game, USA Rice members will make a donation to the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana, consisting of donations made by rice growers from Arkansas and Louisiana.