By Allen Anderson
Allen is a fifth-generation rice farmer who grew up in Chesterville, Texas, and now lives in East Bernard where he farms seed and commercial rice, and manages an aerial application business.
WASHINGTON, DC – The closing chapter of our Rice Leadership Development Program took us to a very cold Washington, DC, from February 8–12. These dates were specifically chosen to coincide with the USA Rice members who fly in to discuss legislation and other governmental issues. The goal of our trip was to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the work the U.S. government does to support American farming. As we all know, the rice industry faces numerous challenges, including payment limitations, pesticide labeling and restrictions, rising input costs, WTO violations, and more. This was a critical time to be in DC to help make our voices heard.
We began our journey with a tour of the USA Rice office and meetings with their staff who each bring a unique skill set as they collectively work to promote and protect U.S. rice. They do an excellent job of lobbying and keeping rice at the forefront of agency agendas. We then headed to the offices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which has a pretty negative connotation for farmers and industry members. As we walked into the meeting, I fully expected to face someone who is anti-agriculture, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this administration wants to help farmers. We ended the working day at the Canadian Embassy, where we discussed the importance of maintaining markets and fair trade with our neighboring countries.
On Day Two, the official USA Rice meetings began, bringing together USA Rice members who had flown in from across the country. We heard from high-ranking government officials about their priorities and had the chance to ask questions as well as share our perspectives. Later that morning was our leadership class graduation, highlighted by a speech from our classmate Andy Brown.
After lunch, we joined other farmers from our respective states to visit Capitol Hill and meet with our senators and representatives. These meetings varied between staff members and elected officials, but they all understood our challenges. It’s never enjoyable to explain how badly the farm economy is struggling, with the significant per-acre losses we’ve faced in recent years. Still, these conversations are necessary and underscore the urgency of our current situation. I greatly appreciate the dedication of USA Rice members in advocating for their states.
The next morning, our leadership class walked to the historic U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Building on the National Mall. It was fascinating to learn about the agency’s ongoing economic research, trade work, and statistical resources, all of which serve as vital tools for everyone in the industry. These efforts directly influence our pricing, decision-making, and often our very livelihoods on the farm. We ended the working day by rejoining our state groups to meet with additional elected officials before attending a dinner hosted by the Mississippi USA Rice group.
On the final day, we attended the World Market Price meeting and then traveled to the White House for a short but information-packed tour filled with historical relics and memorabilia from past presidents and first ladies.
In closing, I would like to thank the program’s sponsors, American Commodity Company, John Deere Company, RiceTec, and Supreme Rice, for an unforgettable experience. The Washington, DC, session was a powerful conclusion to an outstanding leadership program. I hope the next time I return to our nation’s capital, it will be with a much stronger rice economy.