Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for Americans and farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Largely attributed to financial stress, physical isolation, and lack of access to sufficient resources, this silent epidemic could grow even worse as the ag economy continues to struggle.
Read MoreThe CEO of USA Rice says Japan has been buying more U.S. rice lately.
Over the summer, Japan said it would expand U.S. rice exports by 75 percent and purchase $8 billion worth of other ag goods to address a rice shortage and expand U.S. market access.
Read MoreRice is a point of pride in Japan, and the choice was a break from the typical diplomatic practice of showcasing local ingredients.
Read More“Y’all sure go through a lot of trouble to get your rice. We just buy it at the store.”
So were the words of a young cousin of Louisiana Rice Promotion Board chair Kane Fontenot when first introduced to the rice harvesting process. Fontenot recounted the story to high schoolers from 15 parishes across the state at the pilot Growing Careers
Read MoreEarlier today, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the launch of a Section 301 investigation into China’s compliance with the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement (Phase One Agreement) achieved and signed by the first Trump Administration in January 2020.
Read MoreTens of thousands of attendees to the 88th International Rice Festival (IRF), held here from Thursday through Sunday last week, experienced the theme, “Rice Reigns,” at every turn.
The word “rice,” and images of rice in all stages adorn every inch of this town, from the Rice Theatre in the center of town to the Rice Palace Restaurant and Acadia Rice Arena just north of town to the new city logo and the banners hanging from every light post. This is a town that appreciates the Louisiana rice industry and knows how to celebrate it.
Read MoreRice season is in full swing in South Louisiana, where third-generation farmer Eric Unkel is navigating his 30th rice season.
As Unkel’s second harvest of the season is approaching, he reflected on how this years crop has performed.
Read MoreThe 88th annual International Rice Festival in Crowley, Louisiana, is scheduled for October 16-19, 2025, and organizers have released this year's entertainment lineup.
The International Rice Festival is the oldest and largest agricultural festival in Louisiana.
Read MoreTexas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are leading field, greenhouse and laboratory investigations to find solutions in the fight against the invasive rice delphacid and the hoja blanca virus it transmits.
Read MoreOn September 30, the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act (H. R. 5620) was again re-introduced by House Agriculture Committee member Rick Crawford (R-AR) with Louisiana Representatives Troy Carter (D-LA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) as co-sponsors.
Read MoreSouth Louisiana Rail Facility (SLRF), an agricultural export and processing company, announced it will invest $2.1 million to further expand its Jefferson Davis Parish operations. The project includes new bagging and warehouse equipment designed to increase efficiency and open new marketing opportunities for Louisiana rice producers.
Read MoreThe 2025 USA Rice Outlook Conference kicks off soon in just over two months, and programming that jumps from the field to the supermarket has been announced.
Digital marketing specialist and 2024 Outlook speaker Eric Martindale returns to the education stages to lead the session, From Shelf to Shopper: Navigating Grocery Retail Trends.
Read MoreLast week, USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited co-hosted the annual Federal Duck Stamp Reception, showcasing the strong relationship between rice and ducks, and to promote ongoing conservation efforts.
The event celebrated the 12th anniversary of the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Stewardship Partnership, a unique alliance through which both organizations work to help rice farmers address water quantity, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working ricelands.
Read MoreOn September 30, the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act (H. R. 5620) was again re-introduced by House Agriculture Committee member Rick Crawford (R-AR) with Louisiana Representatives Troy Carter (D-LA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) as co-sponsors.
Read MoreThe 2025 planting season was marred by considerable challenges. Farmers in the Midsouth faced historic flooding in April that forced replanting across a significant portion of the Mississippi Delta.
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