HOT SPRINGS, AR – Last week, USA Rice attended the Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 78th annual Officers and Leadership Conference here. The event keeps farmers and ranchers informed about policy developments and advocacy efforts, and helps increase their knowledge of agricultural innovations.
The event included a packed program with a series of workshops and commodity-specific updates. Alongside the business, there were many opportunities for attendees to build connections and catch up with old friends. Thursday evening included a catfish cookout hosted by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation, followed by an AgPAC reception featuring Congressman Rick Crawford’s (R-AR) band, Triple Nickel. The group performed classic rock and country hits along with original songs. The conference concluded on Friday with a powerful message from Reverend Jason Franklin on what it means to be rooted in resilience.
On Wednesday, the Rice Division met under the Chairmanship of Drew Flowers, a rice farmer from Palestine, Arkansas. The group heard from USA Rice’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Jake Westlin, who provided a federal update on what laws and policies are being considered in Washington, DC, and their intersection with the rice industry.
“USA Rice continues to make sure lawmakers understand the economic challenges that the rice industry is currently experiencing,” Westlin said. “That was essential in helping secure the critical investments made to the farm safety net last year as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but given the cumulative losses experienced in recent years and with the increased fuel and fertilizer costs experienced in 2026, we have been focused on making sure additional economic assistance is available to farmers.”
The Arkansas Farm Bureau meeting came on the heels of the U.S. House of Representatives passing a budget resolution on July 22, which kicks off the process for a third reconciliation bill. Notably for agriculture, this could authorize up to $12 billion to provide temporary assistance for row crops and specialty crops. While there is a long way to go in the legislative process, it is expected to be a major topic in Washington, DC.