NEW ORLEANS, LA – The 2025 USA Rice Outlook Conference is in the record books, but
The Rice Stuff is still bringing listeners highlights. Host Michael Klein moderated a panel at the conference, “Brewing and Beyond – Innovations in Rice in Food and Drink,” and the recording of the session is now out as
Episode 126 of the podcast.
The panelists were Dr. Scott Lafontaine from the University of Arkansas Center for Beverage Innovation; Derek Alarcon, director of Export Sales for Farmers’ Rice Cooperative and the director of sales and marketing for Exceedient Foods; and Emily Meyers with J.T. Meleck Distillers located in the heart of Louisiana rice country in Acadia Parish.
In the beverage arena, the group talked about how and why distillers can use rice for spirits and how rice can help save the craft beer industry that exploded in popularity but may have done so too quickly.
Alarcon shared insight into food trends and rice as a hero ingredient that can answer so many calls for today’s consumers and consumer packaged goods companies.
The Rice Stuff recorders were running at multiple sessions throughout the conference and will bring more selected highlights on coming episodes – but it’s no substitute for being there in person, so mark your calendar for USA Rice Outlook 2026, December 13-15 in Nashville, Tennessee.
New episodes of
The Rice Stuff are published twice each month and are available wherever you get your podcasts or online at
www.thericestuffpodcast.com.