USA Rice staff traveled across the Mississippi Delta last week to participate in industry meetings and field days that highlighted the research, promotion, and policy work underway to strengthen the U.S. rice industry.
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The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry met on Thursday to consider the Agricultural Act of 2026. While the committee failed to report the bill out of committee by a vote of 10-11, they may reconvene after the August recess if an agreement can be reached.
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A broad cross-section of farm, labor, maritime, and government officials met at the Port of New Orleans to celebrate the latest U.S. donation of rice and wheat through the Food for Peace Program.
For more than 72 years, the Food for Peace program has delivered American-grown commodities like rice, wheat, and sorghum to people facing hunger across the globe for humanitarian reasons and as part of the United States’ exercising of soft power.
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The 89th International Rice Festival Board of Directors has selected USA Rice Director of Field Services Kane Webb as this year’s Honoree, joining the Presidential Party for the 2026 festivities.
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At his grandfather’s retirement barbecue, Garrett Cormier wasn’t playing with the other children. Instead, he sat alone on a picnic table, worried the farm life he loved might be ending.
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On Friday, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released revised legislative text and announced the Agricultural Act of 2026 would come before the committee on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 9:30 AM ET. The updated bill includes new language authorizing year-round sales of E15 and postponing by a year the implementation of a requirement for states to share the cost of providing SNAP benefits.
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Southern growers are just getting started on rice harvest and the numbers coming out of this season tell two very different stories at once: input costs are finally easing off their spring peaks, while a historic pullback in Arkansas rice acreage has pushed futures prices to levels not seen in years.
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For the farmer who grew it, however, the economics are anything but simple. In June, the average retail price for uncooked, white long-grain rice was about $1.09 per pound nationwide and $1.21 per pound in the South, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Louisiana rice harvest is picking up as weather conditions allow combines to move through fields, but lower prices and rising production costs are making it difficult for farmers to turn a profit.
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USDA’s July World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, released July 10, projects U.S. rice production at its lowest level in nearly four decades. Total rice production is estimated at 153.3 million cwt, which would be the smallest crop since 1987.
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U.S. rice production is projected near a 40-year low, tightening supplies and lifting prices without restoring profitability for many growers. Mississippi State University Extension economist Will Maples says high costs continue to outweigh stronger market values.
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Scientists highlighted the increasingly important role rice production plays in sustaining North America's migratory birds during the Waterfowl & Agriculture Field Day, organized by the Rice Stewardship Partnership and hosted at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center last week.
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Gerard Frey is pleased with the rice coming through the combine this summer. He is less than satisfied with what that rice is worth.
According to Frey, a rice and crawfish farmer, first-crop rice harvest is going well. He operates with GX2 Farms, which has a little over half of their crop already in, and so far yields are generally reaching the high 40s and low 50s in barrels per acre.
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The Rice Leadership Development Program gives future leaders a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communication skills. The class attends four one-week sessions over a two-year period that encompasses studies of all aspects of the rice industry through firsthand observations. They also attend seminars and workshops designed to strengthen leadership skills.
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The 89th annual International Rice Festival in Crowley, Louisiana, is scheduled for October 15-18, 2026, and organizers have released this year's entertainment lineup.
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