USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Charles (Charlie) Nelson Bollich, who passed away on June 16. He was 95.

It’s no secret U.S. rice farmers are struggling, trying to maintain or increase yields while keeping production costs as low as possible until higher prices arrive at some point in the, hopefully, not-too-distant future.

RiceBran Technologies earlier this month began a capacity expansion project at its core stabilized rice bran (SRB) facility in Mermentau, Louisiana. According to the company, the added capacity will allow RiceBran to meet growing demand for North American-sourced ingredients for the companion animal market.

The latest episode of The Rice Stuff podcast gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the Clearfield and Provisia technologies revolutionized U.S. rice from two people who helped develop them: Dr. Eric Webster, director of the University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station, and Dr. Steve Linscombe, director of the Rice Foundation and USA Rice’s Leadership Class Program.

When not growing rice, Paul Johnson uses crawfish farming and waterfowl hunting to round out his family farming operation. His wife and kids are an integral part of the business and lifestyle, in which they are active participants.

When Dr. Steve Linscombe was accepted into the Rice Leadership Development program in 1996, he likely didn’t think he would end up heading the program decades later. That is what the Leadership Program does. It selects rice industry individuals who have applied to the program and develops them into impactful leaders by way of exposing them to people and places they might have never witnessed before.

- John Morgan, a vice president of Supreme Rice Mill in Crowley, Louisiana, has been appointed to serve a second two-year term on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Grain Inspection Service’s (FGIS) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. Morgan previously served on the committee from 2018-2020.

Morgan is the long-serving chair of the USA Rice Millers’ Association Industry Standards Committee, the main point of contact between the U.S. rice industry and USDA on rice standards and technical issues related to rice milling.

The Grain Inspection Advisory Committee advises FGIS on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. The Committee represents all segments of the grain industry, including grain producers, processors, merchandisers, handlers, exporters, consumers,

grain inspection agencies, and scientists.

“With his years of experience and industry knowledge, John is an incredible asset to the advisory committee and we’re glad to see USDA has again selected him to serve in this role,” said Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president of policy and government affairs. “John has represented us well on this committee and we can rest assured that the rice industry’s concerns and priorities on grain standards will be effectively communicated to USDA.”