RALEIGH, NC – USA Rice recently participated in two major sustainability-focused events in North Carolina, bringing together agricultural leaders from across the value chain to discuss conservation, innovation, and the future of sustainable farming.
The week began with the 2026 Annual Meeting of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, which celebrated its 20th year of uniting farmers, commodity groups, and conservation organizations. USA Rice has actively engaged with
Field to Market for many years, leveraging its science-based approach to highlight the significant environmental milestones achieved by U.S. rice farmers while promoting progressive stewardship across the industry.
Following the meeting, participants traveled through eastern North Carolina for the
Conservation Technology Information Center's (CTIC) 2026 Conservation in Action Tour. A unique highlight of the tour was a focus on regional rice production and its intersection with wildlife conservation.
Attendees heard from featured speaker Tommy Wheeler, co-founder of
Tidewater Grain Co., and known to
The Rice Stuff podcast fans from his appearance on
Episode 76, A Carolina Comeback for Rice. Wheeler, a former NASCAR team engineer who transitioned into agriculture alongside fifth-generation farmer Al Spruill, explained how they established their heirloom rice operation for Carolina Gold and Santee Long Grain varieties. Driven by their passion for duck hunting, Wheeler shared how growing rice meshes perfectly with conservation: the rice plants regenerate after harvest to produce a second crop of grain that naturally attracts and nurtures wintering waterfowl. Tidewater Grain Co. manages the entire process from planting to heritage milling and nationwide distribution, showing how commercial agriculture can support critical wildlife habitats.
The tour also featured visits to North Carolina's Upper Coastal Plain Research Station to view emerging resource-protection technologies, and concluded at the historic Rose Hill Estate and Fowl Creek Farms to discuss sustainable cattle pasture management.
Together, the two events demonstrated the power of connecting macro-level sustainability goals with real-world, on-farm conservation practices.
"Participating in the Field to Market annual meeting highlights the value of aligning the entire supply chain around shared sustainability targets," said Adam Shea, vice president of government affairs and sustainability at Riceland Foods and co-chair of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee. "While our discussions in Raleigh focused on high-level data and metrics, the concurrent work by organizations like CTIC showcases real-world execution, like integrating waterfowl conservation directly into rice operations, and reminds us that local execution is everything. By pairing cutting-edge metrics with practical field applications, the U.S. rice industry continues to prove its long-term dedication to environmental stewardship and resource conservation.”
USA Rice's participation reflects its ongoing commitment to conservation leadership and its support for cross-industry partnerships that help producers improve environmental outcomes and navigate evolving production challenges on the ground.