Wednesday, March 15, 2017

15th March,2017 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

Regional Conservation Partnership Program:  What's New for Rice 
Interview with USA Rice Stewardship Partnership Coordinator Josh Hankins
 
USA Rice Daily:  What's new in the RCPP program?
Josh Hankins:  The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create the conservation program known as the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  Since its inception, the RCPP has had four rounds of funding opportunities available for public and private entities.  Acquiring this funding is a very competitive process, and to be successful requires a partnership willing to invest money, manpower, and materials in an innovative initiative to expand voluntary, private lands conservation.  

USA Rice, through the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership, had initial success with a 2015 RCPP project, Sustaining the Future of Rice, across all six major rice-growing states.  The Partnership is in the process of completing that $10 million-project with hundreds of rice farmers expected to sign Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts throughout the three-year life of its funding.

The most recent funding round brought in $15 million for two projects, one led by the Lower Colorado River Authority in Texas, and another led by USA Rice in the Mid-South.  Both are incentivizing the implementation of working lands conservation programs targeting ricelands and neither would have been possible without the work of the Stewardship Partnership.

The USA Rice led program will have two application periods for funding across four states in the Mid-South.  The first will be an EQIP offering, with the application process beginning later this year.  The second will be a CSP offering, which will begin rolling out in 2018.    

Daily:  Can you share a success story or two?
JH:  Our programs have three core areas of focus:  water management, nutrient management, and winter habitat for wildlife.  On the water management side, participants are encouraged to actively manage irrigation water, challenging them to rethink how they've irrigated in the past and facilitating the adoption of new techniques - something as simple as monitoring water depth on the fields with a float, recording pump duration and flow rates, and monitoring and recording rainfall during the irrigation season.  

In most states participating in the program, we have implemented the program for one irrigation season.  A rice farmer from Louisiana reports that the voluntary monitoring program allows him to take irrigation data he's never had before, compare it to fuel and energy costs for moving water, and have a benchmark to improve upon for this coming irrigation season to help save money, something that would not have occurred without the voluntary program. 
 
On the wildlife habitat side, an Arkansas rice farmer captured rainfall on a field that has never been flooded during the winter months to provide migratory bird habitat, and recently sent photographs and video (above) of the field covered in ducks all thanks to RCPP.   

Daily:  Where will the next big farmer success story come from?
JH:  The new irrigation technology being deployed can efficiently measure all inputs during the growing season, decrease the risk of mismanaging water and nutrients, and lower input costs and management time - but none of it has spent much time in rice fields.  Our RCPP team of field staff is helping farmers navigate the implementation of this new technology, and as more farmers adopt it, more companies will begin manufacturing it, which will lead to lower prices and more options available.  When that occurs we will start to see major changes across the Mid-South on how crops are irrigated.   Our RCPP is a much needed shot in the arm to help expedite this process.      

Daily:  How can farmers learn about the different programs available to them?
JH:  Your local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices are vital to the success of RCPP projects.  My suggestion is get to know your local District Conservationist and the office staff; stop in and ask about their Conservation Planning services, that's a great place to start.  They are often very familiar with the RCPP offerings in their areas, and can also help educate producers on other available programs.  Our USA Rice and DU team is another great resource.  We have worked hard to make these partnership programs a success, and that's something rice farmers can get excited about and participate in.

Surface ozone pollution damages rice production in China

March 14, 2017 by Pat Bailey
Description: rice
Credit: Earth100/Wikipeidia
High levels of surface ozone are damaging rice yields at an alarming rate in China, the world's largest agricultural producer and one of its most polluted nations, report researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in China.
For the first time, the research team identified a specific stage of the rice plant's development as being vulnerable to ozone pollution, which they warn has the potential to impact the international rice market and compromise global food security.
"As ozone levels increase in China, this form of pollution threatens to not only decrease the nation's rice production but also affect the broad, global rice market," said the study's lead author Colin Carter, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis.
"In order to better design regulatory policies that help alleviate ozone pollution and protect China's rice crop, it's essential to develop a better understanding of the complex relationship between ozone and rice production," said Carter, whose research has for many years focused on China's grain markets.
Findings from the new study are reported today in Nature's Scientific Reports.
Rice production in China
Rice is China's most important agricultural crop. In 2015, China's rice crop was 206.4 million metric tons, 30 percent of the global crop that year.
Although it is aiming to achieve 95 percent self-sufficiency in rice, China is now the world's largest rice importer and is expected to continue in that position for the next decade.
Around the world, most rice is consumed within the countries where it is grown, leaving only 8 percent of global rice production to be traded internationally in an average year. This causes the price of rice sold on the international market to be extremely sensitive to small changes in production.
Ozone pollution and rice productivity
Surface ozone refers to the ozone found in the troposphere—Earth's lowest atmospheric layer extending about 20 kilometers, or nearly 12.5 miles, above sea level. This surface ozone lies below "the ozone layer," which occurs in the Earth's stratosphere, or upper atmosphere.
With China's rapid growth and development in recent decades, more vehicles, power plants and refineries have been emitting nitrogen oxides—the chemical building blocks for atmospheric ozone.
For this study, the researchers examined existing air quality data as well as rice yield statistics from the 2006, 2008 and 2010 growing seasons in five provinces of Southeast China.
The researchers designed their model to take into account annual variations such as weather, fertilizer use and natural disasters, which also could impact rice yield. They found that for every additional day when the surface ozone level topped 120 parts per billion, there was a 1.12 percent loss in rice yield, compared to every additional day when surface ozone was less than 60 parts per billion.
"If this level of rice yield reduction occurred throughout all of China, it would lead to the loss of about 2 million metric tons of rice annually, which equals about one-third of China's current annual rice imports," Carter said.
Seasonal timing key to ozone's rice crop damage
Interestingly, the researchers discovered that the harmful effects of ozone pollution were not the same for every stage of the rice plant's development. In fact, the increased levels of ozone only led to rice yield reductions during the time when the rice plants were forming their "panicles," the flowering spikes at the tip of the rice stalks, where the grain eventually forms.
"This is important because it indicates that regulatory policies can be most effective in protecting rice yields if they address the period of time when rice plants are in the panicle-formation stage of growth," Carter said.
More information: Colin A. Carter et al. Stage-specific, Nonlinear Surface Ozone Damage to Rice Production in China, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/srep44224 

Piñol urges North Cotabato farmers to plant hybrid rice

The Department of Agriculture (DA) urged farmers in North Cotabato to use hybrid seeds to increase their paddy-rice production and help the government attain its sufficiency goal by 2020.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol recently visited North Cotabato to attend the fourth National Rice Technology Forum held in M’lang. Piñol was joined by rice experts who helped him promote the use of hybrid seeds.
The promotion of hybrid rice seeds is one of the strategies being pursued by the DA to increase paddy rice output, Piñol told participants during the opening program.
Aside from the use of hybrid-rice seeds, Piñol said the government would implement three other strategies: access to credit/loans; access to right marketing; and the provision of postharvest facilities.“To determine which [hybrid-rice] variety produces more yield per hectare, the DA will launch a rice derby contenst,” he said.
The result, Piñol said, would serve as the government’s guide as to what variety to distribute to farmers. In line with this initiative, he said the DA has forged partnership with private seed companies to assist in technology transfer.
To provide easy access to credit and financial assistance, he said the DA has proposed to Congress the enactment of a Quick Credit Facility (QCF) that will help both farmers and fishermen. Under the QCF, farmers and fishermen may avail a P25,000 per hectare financial assistance.“The DA, through the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council, has also launched the Survival and Recovery [SURE] Assistance Program for calamity-stricken farmers and fishermen. SURE does not require collateral, has zero interest, and is payable in three years,” Piñol said.
He said the DA will also organize rice farmers into “highly functioning organizations” and assist them in setting-up farmer-owned rice outlets in key areas. “Through this strategy, the DA aims to eliminate unnecessary layers in the market system.”
In his message, Piñol said “the government will not give equipment which does not work and which you [farmers] do not need.”
As such, the DA will prioritize the distribution of “useful and efficient” postharvest facilities.
Aside from distributing agriculture machinery, the DA is seeking a P20-billion budget next year for the distribution of solar irrigation system, which forms part of the rice expansion program for 2017.
“The DA has to irrigate 80,000 hectares every year to be able to feed the growing number of Filipinos,” Piñol said.
An additional 20,000 hectare to 30,000 hectare expansion program is targeted for 2018
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/pinol-urges-n-cotabato-farmers-to-plant-hybrid-rice/

S.Korea buys 100,000 T of rice for May-June arrival

Reuters | Mar 14, 2017, 02.35 PM IST
SEOUL, March 14 (Reuters) - South Korea bought a total of 100,000 tonnes of non-glutinous rice for arrival between May and June, according to state-run Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp website on Tuesday (http://www.at.or.kr). The state-run agency purchased the rice products via a tender that closed on March 7.

Details of the purchase are as follows: TONNES(M/T) GRAIN TYPE SUPPLIER PRICE/T 10,000 Brown Short THE GROUND KOREA $820.90 20,000 Brown Short THE GROUND KOREA $827.90 10,000 Brown Long Posco Daewoo Corp $418.88 22,222 Brown Medium Philasun Co Ltd $636.52 15,556 Brown Medium Philasun Co Ltd $642.30 11,111 Brown Medium Posco Daewoo Corp $605.60 11,111 Brown Medium Sinsong Food Corp $594.33 *Note: The state-run agency bought the brown medium rice products from the U.S., the brown short rice from Vietnam and the brown long rice from Thailand. (Reporting by Jane Chung; Editing by Sunil Nair)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/s-korea-buys-100000-t-of-rice-for-may-june-arrival/articleshow/57629226.cms As Drought Slashes Rice Harvest, 900,000 Face Hunger in Sri Lanka

March 13, 2017 9:43 PM

Description: FILE - A laborer tries to open a door at a store room as he carries sacks of rice near a main market in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Feb. 21, 2017.
FILE - A laborer tries to open a door at a store room as he carries sacks of rice near a main market in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Feb. 21, 2017.
The worst drought in five years has pushed 900,000 people in Sri Lanka into acute food insecurity, the World Food Program (WFP) says.
An unpublished survey conducted by government agencies and relief organizations in February found that both food insecurity and debt were rising sharply among families hit by drought, the WFP office in Sri Lanka confirmed to Reuters.
The country's rice harvest could be the worst in 40 years, charity Save the Children predicted. The just-completed harvest was 63 percent below normal, it said.
The survey found that over one-third of the drought-affected households had seen their income drop by half since September, and 60 percent of the households surveyed were in debt.
The average amount of debt was about 180,000 Sri Lankan rupees, or $1,200, WFP said.
The survey findings are expected to be formally released later this month.
Sri Lanka's government said over 1.2 million people have been affected by the country's current drought, which began last November and continues despite some occasional rainfall over the last two months.
Save the Children estimates that over 600,000 of those affected — two-thirds of the total — are children.
The Western and Northern Provinces have been worst hit, with over 400,000 people struggling with drought in each province.
Rice harvest halved
Government and WFP assessments suggest Sri Lanka's 2017 rice harvest could be less than half the 3 million metric tons recorded last year.The government has already taken steps to increase rice imports to stave off shortages, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.
"We have a shortfall in the rice harvest. We have been taking action to prevent any shortfalls and will allow for tax-free rice imports until the harvest recovers," he said.
Worst-affected by the drought have been farmers and those relying on agricultural work for income. The joint WFP and government survey indicated that one out of five farmers and one out of four farm laborers is now classified as food insecure in the drought region.
Preliminary data in the survey also indicated that female-headed households in drought areas were faring worse than others, with almost 20 percent reporting "poor" to "borderline" ability to access enough food as a result of the drought.
Yapa said that the government was devising a plan to help those affected and "we will begin cash assistance very soon."
The initial plan is to provide 500,000 persons with cash assistance, he said. The government has so far set aside 8 billion rupees ($52 million) for cash-for-work programs in drought-hit areas.
Over 50 million rupees ($300,000) has been allocated to distribute water to affected populations in 22 of the island's 25 districts, he said.
The drought is expected to continue into April, according to seasonal forecasting by the Meteorological Department.
"The big rains will come with the next monsoon," which is expected to arrive in late May, said Lalith Chandrapala, director general of the Meteorological Department

http://www.voanews.com/a/drought-slashes-rice-harvest-nine-hundred-thousand-people-face-hunger-sri-lanka/3764774.html

UN Pushes 'Smart Crops' as Rice Alternative to Tackle Hunger in Asia

March 14, 2017 10:40 PM


FILE - A worker carries a bale of dry millet at a field on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Nov. 17, 2011.
Description: FILE - A worker carries a bale of dry millet at a field on the outskirts of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Nov. 17, 2011.
Asia needs to make extra efforts to defeat hunger after progress has slowed in the last five years, including promoting so-called "smart crops" as an alternative to rice, the head of the U.N. food agency in the region said.
Kundhavi Kadiresan, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Asia, said the region needs to focus on reaching the most marginalized people, such as the very poor or those living in mountainous areas.
The Asia-Pacific region halved the number of hungry people from 1990 to 2015 but the rate of progress slowed in many countries - such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Cambodia - in the last five years, according to a December FAO report.
"The last mile is always difficult.. so extra efforts, extra resources and more targeted interventions are needed," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on the sidelines of a business forum on food security in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She said government and businesses needed to develop policies to help make food more affordable, while changing Asians' diets that rely heavily on rice.
"We have focused so much on rice that we haven't really looked at some of those crops like millets, sorghum and beans," she said.
A campaign is underway to promote these alternatives as "smart crops" to make them more attractive, Kadiresan said.
"We are calling them smart crops to get people not to think about them as poor people's food but smart people's food," she said, adding that they are not only nutritious but also more adaptable to climate change.
Soaring rice prices, slowing economic expansion and poorer growth in agricultural productivity have been blamed for the slowdown in efforts to tackle hunger.
More than 60 percent of the world's hungry are in Asia-Pacific, while nearly one out of three children in the region suffers from stunting, according to the FAO.
Achieving zero hunger by 2030 is one of the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals adopted by member states in 2015

Checks for rice exporters

 

More than 40 rice millers have applied for quality checks to allow for export to China but most have not yet reached a high enough standard, the Agriculture Ministry said.
 
Applications were received in a second call for expressions of interest after 28 millers gained certification in the first round.Hean Vanhan, director-general of the ministry’s general directorate of agriculture, said most of the millers have not done enough preparation for the quality checks.

 
“The Agriculture Ministry will conduct a workshop this month to help them learn about the policies and preparation for the checks,” he said.“We want to help them pass the inspections for quality checks made by our officials and Chinese experts.”He added that the ministry will send officials to check rice millers’ quality three weeks after the workshop.
 
Mr. Vanhan said he was not sure how long the quality checks by local officials and Chinese experts would take, but said millers which passed in the second round will join the other 28 in shipping 200,000 metric tons a year to China.He also said that millers who failed in the first round are among the 40.

 
The ministry started their inspection of 60 millers in October, and in November, a group of Chinese experts inspected the quality and safety of the 28 successful rice mills during a week-long visit in Cambodia. All of them passed.But only 18 of them were given priority to export rice to China due to their experience of Chinese markets, according to Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).
 
“After a discussion between the Chinese company COFCO, CRF, and Green Trade from December, in Beijing, three parties agreed to allow the first 18 local rice mills to start fulfilling the export quota as most of these companies have experience exporting rice to China in the past,” Hun Lak, CRF vice president said previously.

 
China tops the biggest markets for Cambodia’s milled rice last year, with the country’s total 542,144 metric tons, 127,000 metric tons of which were shipped to China.Cambodian milled rice exports reached 109,000 metric tons in the first two months this year, up 14 percent over a year before, according to the ministry’s month report. Of this, 46,000 metric tons were sent to China.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36362/checks-for-rice-exporters/

Venezuelan rice ship sinking offshore Essequibo



The coast guard and other relevant authorities are still investigating the matter of a ship that began sinking a few miles off the Essequibo Coast around Wednesday of last week.
The ship is currently going down approximately two miles off the shore of the Devonshire Castle Hampton Court area on the Essequibo Coast.Investigations revealed that the vessel of Venezuelan origin was transporting rice back to that country at the time of the incident. According to local fishermen, the stern of the vessel is currently under water whilst the bow remains afloat. It is believed that the ship sprang a leak whilst out on the ocean. Due to high tides and enormous waves, the vessel was washed closer to shore. The crew on board the vessel (all Venezuelan nationals) was rescued without any serious casualties. Though a huge quantity of the rice was destroyed by salt water, it was reported that those rescuing the crew were also helping themselves to the rice on board.

Since the new administration took office in 2015 the Oil for Rice agreement between Guyana and Venezuela came reached its conclusion. Though the leaders of these two countries refuse to renew the agreement, the citizens of both Venezuela and Guyana continue to collaborate behind the scenes. In secrecy Guyanese continue to provide food for Venezuelans, and Venezuelans continue to provide fuel for Guyanese.
However these recent mishaps do not appear to be a coincidence. Just last month another vessel smuggling fuel to Guyana was confiscated.

http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2017/03/14/venezuelan-ship-sinking-offshore-essequibo/

 

Sunken vessel had been reported in distress earlier this month- MARAD official

The wreckage of a vessel which sank last week off the Essequibo Coast reportedly laden with rice for Venezuela.



Description: http://demerarawaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/donna_marta-300x169.jpgA Venezuela-flagged vessel  had been seen listing offshore Essequibo since earlier this month, but apparently it had not been located by Guyanese officials
Director General of the Maritime Administration, Claudette Rogers told Demerara Waves Online News that her entity was notified on March 9 that the MV Dona Marta was listing (leaning) and contact was made with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard.
Sources said the Venezuelan crew members are all safe.

Based on preliminary information gleaned, the vessel did not report its arrival or departure from Guyanese waters , and only sounded a distress call when it was sinking.All vessels entering and leaving Guyana’s waters are required to report to the Lighthouse.Rogers stressed that the focus now is to establish the coordinates of the wreck, located off Walton Hall/ Devonshire Castle villages, and dispatch a notice to all mariners for safety reasons.

One of the rice exporters, Wazeer Hussain, told Demerara Waves Online News that more than one rice exporters’ cargo was aboard the MV Dona Marta. Hussein said he had about 100 tons of grain aboard the vessel. Hussain said he was told that Venezuelan officials are expected to visit the partly submerged vessel.The MV Dona Marta was shipping rice from Guyana to Venezuela under a private arrangement, although the bilateral rice-fuel barter between the two countries was scrapped in 2015 at the height of a row over that Spanish-speaking neighbour’s claim to Essequibo and the Atlantic sea off that region

https://demerarawaves.com/2017/03/14/sunken-vessel-had-been-reported-in-distress-earlier-this-month-marad-official/

 

Average Price of 1kg of Rice Increased by 68% YoY in February 2017


Tuesday, March 14, 2017 10:03 AM/NBS


Selected food price watch data for February 2016 reflected that the average price of 1 dozen of Agric eggs medium size increased year-on-year by 53.33% and month-on-month by 1.40% to N520.16 in February 2017 from N512.99 in January 2017 while the average price of piece of Agric eggs medium size increased year-on-year by 43.03% and decreased month-on-month by 9.52% to N42.90 in February 2017 from N47.42 in January 2017.
Description: Proshare

The average price of 1kg of tomato increased year-on-year by 13.13% and decreased month-on-month by 4.41% to N236.62 in February 2017 from N247.55 in January 2017.

The average price of 1kg of rice (imported high quality sold loose) increased year-on-year by 68.10% and month-on-month by 2.13% to N410.58 in February 2017 from N402.01 in January 2017.

Similarly, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber increased year-on-year by 43.92% and month-on-month by 2.36% to N215.55 in February 2017 from N210.58 in January 2017
https://www.proshareng.com/news/Agriculture/Average-Price-of-1kg-of-Rice-Increased-by-68Percent-YoY-in-February-2017/34023
Iraqi Experiences Increased Production of Rice and Sunflower production in 2016

In a report, the rice production for 2016 reached 181.3 thousand tons, while the sunflower production reached to 0.9 thousand tons.

Baghdad/ Iraq TradeLink: Iraqi Statistics Department announced the increase in rice and sunflower
production for 2016.




In a report, the rice production for 2016 reached 181.3 thousand tons, while the sunflower production reached to 0.9 thousand tons.In 2008, Iraq initiated the Agricultural initiative to develop agriculture in the country with a time limit of 10 years to reach self-sufficiency in the strategic products
In a report, the rice production for 2016 reached 181.3 thousand tons, while the sunflower production reached to 0.9 thousand tons.Baghdad/ Iraq TradeLink: Iraqi Statistics Department announced the increase in rice and sunflower
production for 2016.
In a report, the rice production for 2016 reached 181.3 thousand tons, while the sunflower production reached to 0.9 thousand tons.In 2008, Iraq initiated the Agricultural initiative to develop agriculture in the country with a time limit of 10 years to reach self-sufficiency in the strategic products
http://www.rebuildingiraq.net/news/view/36799-Iraqi-Experiences-Increased-Production-of-Rice-and-Sunflower-production-in-2016

Boiling down the basics of rice

Gholam Rahman
12:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2017  Dining

Bought in big bags from Costco, we use basmati rice for our daily use – plain rice or pilaf.Photo by GHOLAM RAHMAN
Description: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/rf/image_large/Pub/p8/PalmBeachPost/2017/03/14/Images/newsEngin.17937478_rice.jpgIn many aspects of life, as well as in cooking, it often happens that what we nonchalantly take to be a simple and everyday job turns out in reality to be not so simple at all, that is if you want to do it well. There is actually a phrase in my dual mother tongues of Urdu and Bengali for such a sans-souci stance – “Daal-Bhaat,” which means cooking lentils and rice, what people in my erstwhile home in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent do every day, almost by rote.
It is the rice half that I am really talking about today, an item that Americans also are embracing more and more. You would think what could be simpler than boiling a pot of rice? But to do it well, so that the grains stand separate while cooked fully, it takes a bit of know-how and patience. Mind you I am not talking about sticky rice, which by its very name is intended to turn lumpy, but about the Indian aromatic and long-grain basmati, billed as the Champagne of rices. Or even even American long-grain rices for that matter.
There are two basic ways of cooking rice: the first, the absorption method, in which all the liquid gets absorbed into the grains by the time they are cooked; the second, the lots-of-water method, in which you cook with the pot filled with water and when the grains test done, the excess water is fully drained – somewhat like cooking pasta.
We always do it the second way, not just because it is easier and more foolproof, but because it helps minimize the arsenic residue that is found in almost all raw rice, although basmati from the Indian subcontinent has much lesser amount of arsenic as compared with most American rice. This chemical’s presence actually comes from the soil’s natural characteristics rather than any chicanery by the growers or sellers.
We eat rice perhaps four to five days a week, on the average, but only for lunch, mostly plain boiled rice with vegetables, daal, chicken, fish and beef – probably in that order – curried in various ways. But the rice is always basmati, a bit more expensive perhaps. To cut cost, we buy the 20-pound bag from Costco. Here is how we cook it – mostly my wife Kaisari, one of the long list of graduates from my sainted Mom’s “cooking school.”
—-
FOOLPROOF COOKED RICE
1½ to 2 cups basmati rice
About 10 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1. Soak the rice in large bowl with enough water to cover by a couple of inches for 30 to 60 minutes. With both hands, swish and scrub the rice, then wash it in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Drain and put the rice in a large heavy nonstick or stainless-steel pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and oil. Add the water and stir.
2. Raise heat and bring the pot to a rolling boil. Reduce heat, give the pot a stir to set the grains in a circular swirl and let the rice cook at a smart simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, giving it a circular stir a couple of times.
3. Test a few rice grains every 20 to 30 seconds after the first 6 minutes; the rice is done when the grains offer just a bit of resistance to the teeth but have no gritty feel at the core. Drain in a large wire strainer or colander with small holes. Serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
If you use rice often – even though not as frequently as we do – I wouldn’t advise you to use the absorption method to avoid arsenic. Of course an exception is the pilaf, which is always cooked by the absorption method; but then who eats pilaf so often?

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/boiling-down-the-basics-rice/usLzvqc3hOrWFfdg83bqKN/

Problems continuing with Burma seed paddy
By STAFF WRITER March 14, 2017
Dear Editor,
I hope this letter can reach the eyes of the Government, the Minister of Agriculture and the Chairman and Board of Directors of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).
Farmers continue to face grave problems with the seed paddy purchased from the GRDB, Burma Rice Research Station over the past year.
On numerous occasions several hundred bags of seed paddy purchased from the GRDB, Burma Rice Research Station did not germinate or if it germinated the % germination was far below the requisite levels. When this happens the farmers suffer the losses or the board suffers the loss in revenue.
It is alleged that in the seed production, standard operating procedures were not adhered to resulting in either the seeds not being harvested at the correct time from the fields, at the correct moisture content, or dried and stored properly leading to damage of the embryo in the seed.
Further, the required labels on the bags to tell the quality of seed paddy and % germination of the seed lot were totally absent. So farmers do not have an option but to accept what was in the bag. Fortunately I had a close examination of the poor germinating seed paddy and saw evidence of a large amount of shelled grains, broken grains, pieces of clay soil and discoloured grains present in the bags of seed paddy sold as C1 and C11 grade.
The time has come for the Government, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Noel Holder, the Chairman and Board of Directors of GRDB to get involved and seriously look into this present situation and stop taking these lame excuses as to why the seed paddy quality provided to farmers is not up to standard from the Burma Rice Research Station since the board is spending large sums of money om seed paddy production every year.

Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)

https://www.stabroeknews.com/2017/opinion/letters/03/14/problems-continuing-burma-seed-paddy/

Rice Research To Production Course 2017!

An amazing opportunity to learn all aspects of rice production at the International Rice Research Institute.Stay tuned here for updates and deadlines to apply: https://ricediversity.org/outreach/course/
Description: http://leachlab.agsci.colostate.edu/files/2017/03/IMG_5852-1024x768.jpg
 Filed Under: Uncategorized
http://leachlab.agsci.colostate.edu/2017/03/14/rice-research-to-production-course-2017/

USA Rice presents to research board

Tuesday

Ward provided the board with the financial report and results of the audits for all five organizations overseen by USA Rice, and also gave an update on opportunities and challenges the U.S. rice industry faces, including the impact of priorities coming out of the Trump Administration on trade, food aid and the upcoming Farm Bill.
USA staff Betsy Ward, Michael Klein,and Hugh Maginnis presented the annual USA Rice Council report to the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board (ARRPB) last week.
Ward provided the board with the financial report and results of the audits for all five organizations overseen by USA Rice, and also gave an update on opportunities and challenges the U.S. rice industry faces, including the impact of priorities coming out of the Trump Administration on trade, food aid and the upcoming Farm Bill. Klein shared highlights of recent domestic promotion activities, including chef farm and mill tours that have resulted in U.S.-grown rice being called out on restaurant menus, while Maginnis reported on international markets and programs, including an active tender in Iraq and increasing market access in markets such as Colombia and Haiti.

The ARRPB is made up of nine rice producers who are nominated by industry organizations and appointed to two-year terms by the governor. The board is responsible for allocating Arkansas rice promotion and research check-off funds annually, and for the past 30 plus years, the ARRPB has awarded promotion funds to the USA Rice Council in recognition of the exemplary work performed by the Council on behalf of Arkansas rice farmers.
"I appreciated the opportunity to report on work made possible by the financial resources entrusted to us by Arkansas," Ward said. "On behalf of USA Rice, I also want to thank the Arkansas rice farmers and industry members who serve on the USA Rice Council board and on USA Rice domestic and international promotion committees. Their participation is vital to USA Rice's member-driven process for program development and implementation."
After the presentations on promotion results and USA Rice financials, the ARRPB approved the USA Rice Council's request for funding in the fiscal year Aug. 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20170314/usa-rice-presents-to-research-board

Innovation on show at rice research event

Description: The field day at Description: LEARNING ALL ABOUT IT: Participants at the recent Rice Field Day in Jerilderie were able to gain plenty from the experience. Photo: Contributed Description: The field day at
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LEARNING ALL ABOUT IT: Participants at the recent Rice Field Day in Jerilderie were able to gain plenty from the experience. Photo: Contributed

INNOVATION within the rice industry was on show at the industry’s premier research showcase event. A rice field day at “Old Coree” in Jerilderie was held last week, with more than 350 rice growers and agribusiness professionals attending. 
The theme for 2017 was “Tradition, Technology, Productivity – A Balancing Act”. 
Participants said the event was beneficial to their business and reflected the importance of continual innovation in the rice industry.The event is held annually and is designed to showcase the latest in rice research and technological advancements in rice growing. For the second consecutive year it also included a business and innovation forum. 
Rice Research and Development Committee chairman Ian Mason said the event was structured to reflect the importance maintaining and increasing grower profitability. 
“Some of the highlights this year at the field day included the latest information on rice R&D, innovation, new perspectives on agriculture and a SunRice grower update,” he said. 
“R&D topics such as the evolution to aerobic rice and remote sensing for nitrogen management were covered throughout the morning’s field visits and proved to be of interest to growers who attended.“This is a very important date for rice growers every year and this year we had a fantastic range of speakers to assist Australian rice growers to be smarter farmers and better equipped to make decisions, both in the paddock and the office.”One of the day’s presenters, Brian Dunn, spoke of remote sensing for nitrogen management.
“The day was a great opportunity to interact with growers and discuss some of the innovative uses growers can use drones for,” he said.
“The use of drones and remote sensing in agriculture is promising many benefits, but it is important that their use can provide increased productivity and profitability in the rice industry.”A cooking demonstration of a simple, healthy and quick Mediterranean chicken with rice and quinoa by television cook, Zoe Bingley-Pullin was also enjoyed.

http://www.therural.com.au/story/4530965/innovation-on-show-at-rice-research-event/

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

14th March,2017 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

Time to focus on ECO market for food exports

PAKISTAN can boost its food exports to ECO countries as it now leads this 10-nation economic bloc for next five years and as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor opens up a lot of fresh opportunities.
Afghanistan is already one of the country’s biggest food exports market. Food exports to Iran are growing after lifting of US-led international sanctions on that nation. Chances for boosting food exports to Turkey have also brightened after the establishment of Halal certification authority in Pakistan. “And, food exports to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to rise as they have start realising that trading with us is easier and strategically important in the CPEC era,” says a senior official of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. “Already 80pc of our total exports to these countries fall in foods category and demand keeps growing.”
Officials of the ministry of commerce say our food exports to ECO nations that totalled $620m or so in FY16 can hit $1bn, if not this year, maybe next year. Their optimism is rooted in the enthusiasm shown by member countries of this regional bloc during the recently-concluded summit. “But a lot depends on our relationship with Afghanistan,” one senior official conceded in an obvious reference to current unease in Pak-Afghan political ties.
According to an old study conducted by the ECO secretariat, out of the 15 top items that Pakistan can export to ECO countries, five fall in food category. These are: rice, cereals cereal preparations, animal and vegetable fats, fruits and vegetables and live animals.

In the first half of this fiscal year, out of the total $102m earnings from wheat and wheat flour exports, $97m came from Kabul


Currently hundreds of items including these five categories and even more, for example, seafood and meat and meat preparations are exported to the ECO nations.
Meat and meat preparations had long been on the list of export items to Afghanistan. But exports of seafood to Central Asian countries began when exports started diversifying export markets to reduce dependence on the Middle East, exporters say.
“Whenever Pakistan is surplus in wheat the nearest export market is Afghanistan if there is any shortfall there,” says a TDAP official. In the first half of this fiscal year, out of the total $102m earnings from wheat and wheat flour exports, $97m came from Kabul.
And in FY16, $122m, or 98pc of the total $125m earned through wheat and wheat flour exports to Afghanistan.
In the last fiscal year, $191m or more than 10pc of total rice export earnings originated from the ECO nations, chiefly from Afghanistan ($128m) but also from Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkey.
“The potential market is much larger,” says an official of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan. “But we need to boost our Basmati production (which is in more in demand in the ECO region) and we need stronger branding. Dubai-based Indian traders continue to import Pakistani rice in bulk and resell the same as Indian rice to Iran and other countries.” Description: https://i.dawn.com/large/2017/03/58c4b98c8c92e.jpg
In FY15, Iran had bought $9m worth of Pakistani rice mainly long-grain, aromatic super Basmati. But in the last fiscal year, rice exports to Iran fell o $2.4m due to overall inadequate local supplies of Basmati that forced buyers to cater to more permanent rice export markets first (like GCC region), leading exporters say.
Pakistan’s food exports to six ECO Central Asian countries have seen a surge since FY2010 then for two basic reasons. First, Russia began beefing up its food stocks and curbed its food exports to them. And secondly, these countries also witnessed a declining trend in food trade with each other as they started diversifying trading sources.
“In this backdrop, Pakistan entered this market aggressively and now our total food exports of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan exceeds $50m,” says an official of the Ministry of Commerce citing FY16 statistics.
“Food exports must be prioritised in all our efforts to increase overall exports to ECO countries, because except in case of Turkey and to some extent Iran our key exports to ECO falls in foods category.”
As a gesture of goodwill Iran lifted ban temporarily on imports of kinnow from Pakistan just a day before the March 1 ECO summit in Islamabad. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has demanded that the ban be lifted permanently.
If it is done, Pakistan will be able to export as much as 60,000 tonnes of kinnow to Iranian markets every year. But for that to happen, we’ll have to remove Iranian concerns regarding the quality of the kinnow we export there, officials say. They say that Pakistan would soon take up this issue with Iran.
Free movement of goods throughout the ECO region using road and rail transport is expected to become easier — thanks to CPEC projects.
Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, March 13th, 2017

Global Baby Rice Flour Market Research Forecast Report 2016 – 2020



As drought slashes rice harvest, 900,000 face hunger in Sri Lanka

By Amantha Perera
COLOMBO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The worst drought in five years has pushed 900,000 people in Sri Lanka into “acute food insecurity”, the World Food Programme (WFP) says.
An unpublished survey conducted by government agencies and relief organizations in February found that both food insecurity and debt were rising sharply among families hit by drought, the WFP office in Sri Lanka confirmed to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The country’s rice harvest could be the worst in 40 years, charity Save the Children predicted. The just-completed harvest was 63 percent below normal, it said.
The survey found that over one third of the drought-affected households had seen their income drop by half since September and 60 percent of the households surveyed were in debt.
The average amount of debt was about 180,000 Sri Lankan rupees, or $1,200, WFP said.
The survey findings are expected to be formally released later this month.
Sri Lanka’s government said over 1.2 million people have been affected by the country’s current drought, which began last November and continues despite some occasional rainfall over the last two months.
Save the Children estimates that over 600,000 of those affected – two thirds of the total – are children.
The Western and Northern Provinces have been worst hit, with over 400,000 people struggling with drought in each province.
RICE HARVEST HALVED
Government and WFP assessments suggest Sri Lanka’s 2017 rice harvest could be less than half the 3 million metric tons recorded last year.
According to WFP assessments the island needs 2.3 million metric tons of rice for annual consumption but the overall 2017 rice harvest is projected to yield just 1.44 metric tons.
The government has already taken steps to increase rice imports to stave off shortages, Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.
“We have a shortfall in the rice harvest. We have been taking action to prevent any shortfalls and will allow for tax-free rice imports until the harvest recovers,” he said.
Worst-affected by the drought have been farmers and those relying on agricultural work for income. The joint WFP and government survey indicated that one out of five farmers and one out of four farm laborers is now classified as food insecure in the drought region.
Preliminary data in the survey also indicated that female-headed households in drought areas were faring worse than others, with almost 20 percent reporting “poor” to “borderline” ability to access enough food as a result of the drought.
Yapa said that the government was devising a plan to help those affected and “we will begin cash assistance very soon”.
The initial plan is to provide 500,000 persons with cash assistance, he said. The government has so far set aside 8 billion rupees ($52 million) for cash-for-work programs in drought-hit areas.
Over 50 million rupees ($300,000) has been allocated to distribute water to affected populations in 22 of the island’s 25 districts, he said.
The drought is expected to continue into April, according to seasonal forecasting by the Meteorological Department.“The big rains will come with the next monsoon”, which is expected to arrive in late May, said Lalith Chandrapala, director general of the Meteorological Department.
(Reporting by Amantha Perera; editing by Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sri-lanka-drought-hunger-idUSKBN16K1HW

Rice import goes up in two weeks
Prices still remain high in local mkt
Yasir Wardad
 Rice import has been increasing for last two weeks amid its persisting higher price in the domestic market and decline in prices in neighbouring India, said sector insiders.
Even after paying 25 per cent customs duty, private importers are making profits by importing two specific rice varieties from India, they added.
The food ministry data showed that private rice millers so far brought over 54,000 tonnes of rice in the current financial year (FY'17) of which 14,000 tonnes entered just in last 15 days.
The rate of rice import was 160-172 tonnes a day earlier which increased to 900-1,000 tonnes in March, said a food ministry official.
L/C (letter of credit) has been opened to bring another 43,000 tonnes of rice, he added.   Rajib Kumar, a Dinajpur-based importer, told the FE that Brri dhan-28 is now selling at Tk 43-43.5 a kilogram at local mill gates.
He said import cost (including 25 per cent customs duty) of the same variety, known as Ratna in West Bengal, India ranges between Tk 41 and Tk 42 a kg. He said the difference between the prices in India and Bangladesh is encouraging imports.
Lalit Saha, another importer, said prices of Swarna and Ratna declined to some extent in India in February last.
He said finer Swarna was selling at Tk 36-36.5 a kg at mill gates in Bangladesh, but its import cost was Tk 34.0-Tk 34.5.
However, he informed the FE that most of the L/Cs have been opened between February and the first week of March when prices of Swarna and Brridhan-28 were US$ 343- 360 a tonne in India.

The government imposed 25 per cent customs duty at the very beginning in FY'17 following paddy price debacle during harvesting periods which caused huge losses to the farmers. After imposition of import duty, rice prices in Bangladesh started rising.
The price hike of different varieties of rice ranged between 7 per cent and 23 per cent in last seven months, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Coarse rice Swarna is now selling at Tk 37-Tk 40 while medium quality Brridhan 28 and Paijam at Tk 45-Tk 48 and finer variety Miniket, Jeerashail and Najirshail at Tk 48-Tk 58 a kg in the country.
Md Hazrat Ali, a Nilphamari-based trader, said import of Brridhan-28 will continue until the beginning of local Boro harvesting from next month.    
The mills face a supply shortage of Brridhan-28, the most-consumed rice variety which grows during the Boro season.
He also pointed out that many big stockists who have a huge stock of Swarna paddy are now making hefty profits.    According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Brridhan-28 accounts for nearly 44 per cent while Swarna accounts for over 24 per cent of the country's total rice output.
Secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major Husking Mill Owners Association K M Layek Ali said paddy prices were much higher from last Aman season which benefited the farmers.
The prices of rice will come down to some extent from May with starting of the harvesting season, he said, adding that the existing customs duty should remain in force to protect the local rice industry.
The government should strengthen monitoring so that no one can bring animal food in the name of rice for human consumption, he said. The government has now a stock of nearly 0.64 million tonnes of rice which was 1.06 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
Bangladesh produced over 34.57 million tonnes of rice in FY'16 against a demand for 31.0 million tonnes, according to BBS and Directorate General of Food (DGoF).
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/03/13/64186/Rice-import-goes-up-in-two-weeks

Central Sulawesi records rice production surplus of 280 thousand tons

13th March 2017
Palu, C Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Central Sulawesi managed to achieve a surplus in rice production, reaching 280 thousand tons in 2016, according to a local official.

"The surplus increased as compared to those recorded in the previous years," Trie Iriany Lamakampali, head of the local food crops and horticulture office, stated here, Monday.

It indicated that the governments program to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean was successful, although the increase was not significant, he remarked.

The program in Central Sulawesi Province has been supported by military officers and other concerned institutions, among others.

The province has adequate seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean. 

He expressed hope that the Logistics Agency (Bulog) would purchase more produce of the local farmers.

The local farmers who had planted crops during the October-November planting season last year are expected to harvest their crops during the April-May 2017 period. The paddy production is estimated to reach 500 thousand tons.

Central Sulawesi has set a target of producing 1.3 million tons of dried paddy in 2017.(*)
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/109900/central-sulawesi-records-rice-production-surplus-of-280-thousand-tons

Jakarta | Mon, March 13, 2017 | 06:55 pm
Description:   Rice center to be established in IndramayuFarmers thrash paddy on a rice field in Pabean Udik village, Indramayu, West Java. (Antara Photo/Dedhez Anggara)
State-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia plans to develop a rice center to provide farmers with skill and knowledge as well as facilities to improve the quality of their rice in Indramayu, West Java.“Indramayu, one of the main rice producers in the country, is the ideal location to develop the rice center,” PT Pupuk Indonesia president director Aas Asikin said as reported by tribunnews.com on Monday.
State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno visited Mundu village in Indramayu regency last Friday to attend a presentation on the establishment of the center, which will be managed by PT Pupuk Indonesia Pangan (PIP), a subsidiary of PT Pupuk Indonesia.Aas said the center would consist of three main sections – agricultural depot, rice cultivation unit and rice mill.
The agricultural depot will be used to store rice, fertilizer, seeds and pesticide. The rice cultivation unit will helping farmers cultivate their rice fields to improve land productivity through technical guidance and the distribution of fertilizer, seeds and pesticide.
Meanwhile, the rice milling unit will manage paddy produced by farmers and help them improve the quality.
“With modern technology, paddy will become high quality medium and premium rice,” Aas added.Initially, the rice mill will have a capacity of 4 tons per hour and will be increased to 12 tons per hour. (bbn)

Submitted by Eleven on Sat, 03/11/2017 - 15:30
Writer: Nilar
The Ministry of Commerce says a new agreement is under way to export 100,000 tonnes of rice to China by sea.“It’s not the ministry itself that will export. The Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation [MAPCO] was previously offered the quota by China to export 100,000 tonnes of rice. There's now a deal underway for another quota of the same amount. The previous quota is almost fulfilled,” said Khin Maung Lwin, a senior official from the ministry.
The previous deal was reached in 2014. 
Myanmar exports most of its rice to China through the Muse border and also exports rice to more than 30 countries by sea.Rice exports to China last year saw a significant decrease due to rebel attacks on Muse and Chinese officials taking strict action on Myanmar’s exports.Other exports also decreased this year due to the instability in the border areas and increased security checks. The MAPCO chose instead to export rice by sea and the weak kyat has driven up exports. Maritime exports struggled in the past because of the policies of the former government.  
The MAPCO is preparing to sell its shares at the Yangon Stock Exchange

Global Baby Rice Flour Market Research Forecast Report 2016 – 2020
Business March 14, 2017   Stanley  Baby Rice Flour Market 2016
Description: Baby Rice Flour MarketThe research report titled Baby Rice Flour Market has adopted an analytical approach to evaluate the dynamics of the Baby Rice Flour market. It provides a detailed analysis comprising an in-depth research on the Baby Rice Flour market growth drivers, restraints, and potential growth opportunities, with key focus on globe. In a chapter-wise format, the report evaluates the demand and supply trends observed in the Baby Rice Flour market, complete with relevant statistics and graphical representation. A detailed investment feasibility analysis and market attractiveness analysis is included in the report, which makes it an executive-level document for players in the global Baby Rice Flour market.
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The report is separated in sections dedicated to analyzing distinct aspects of the Baby Rice Flour market. It encompasses the varied product types available in the market and their respective price structure, the factors driving demand for the products, and the future prospects for the same. Other market segments included are elaborated on the basis of application and geography. The report also presents import and export figures for the global Baby Rice Flour market.
To present a detailed analysis of the competitive hierarchy of the Baby Rice Flour market, the report profiles the leading market player around the world. Market shares registered by the prominent players are estimated to study the business strategies that have significantly impacted the Baby Rice Flour market. With its chapters interspersed with tables and figures, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the Baby Rice Flour industry.
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http://patriarc.com/2017/03/14/global-baby-rice-flour-market-research-forecast-report-2016-2020/136189

California Rice Country:  In the Board Room and On the Farm
By Deborah Willenborg
 SACRAMENTO, CA -- Last week USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward visited California rice country to attend the March Board of Directors meeting of the California Rice Commission (CRC).  "The CRC is a key member of USA Rice and supports our programs both financially and with the active members who populate our boards and committees," said Ward.  "It was great to speak to the CRC Board about developments in Washington and to thank them for all their support for USA Rice."
CRC manages an impressive program for the California rice industry and that was demonstrated by the scope of topics addressed at the board meeting including farm policy, international trade policy and promotion, regulatory and food safety issues, and CRC's effective communications outreach to multiple target audiences both in California and around the globe.


Gary Van Dyke directs
equipment rehab in preparation for planting
In addition to attending the CRC event, Ward traveled to Pleasant Grove to visit the Van Dyke Ranch, a vertically integrated company that includes Van Dyke's Rice Dryer and VA Farms Inc.   Greg Van Dyke, a recent graduate of the Rice Leadership Development Program, led the tour and explained the history of the Van Dyke family operations in the region that stretches back to 1898.
"I appreciate the hospitality of Greg and his family, and always enjoy getting out to see rice facilities first hand," said Ward.

           

USA Rice CEO Betsy Ward delivers annual progress report
USA Rice Presents to Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board
By Chuck Wilson
 
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- USA staff Betsy Ward, Michael Klein, and Hugh Maginnis presented the annual USA Rice Council report to the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board (ARRPB) here last week.

Ward provided the board with the financial report and results of the audits for all five organizations overseen by USA Rice, and also gave an update on opportunities and challenges the U.S. rice industry faces, including the impact of priorities coming out of the Trump Administration on trade, food aid, and the upcoming Farm Bill.  Klein shared highlights of recent domestic promotion activities, including chef farm and mill tours that have resulted in U.S.-grown rice being called out on restaurant menus, while Maginnis reported on international markets and programs, including an active tender in Iraq and increasing market access in markets such as Colombia and Haiti.

The ARRPB is made up of nine rice producers who are nominated by industry organizations and appointed to two-year terms by the governor.  The board is responsible for allocating Arkansas rice promotion and research check-off funds annually, and for the past 30 plus years, the ARRPB has awarded promotion funds to the USA Rice Council in recognition of the exemplary work performed by the Council on behalf of Arkansas rice farmers.

"I appreciated the opportunity to report on work made possible by the financial resources entrusted to us by Arkansas," Ward said.  "On behalf of USA Rice, I also want to thank the Arkansas rice farmers and industry members who serve on the USA Rice Council board and on USA Rice domestic and international promotion committees.  Their participation is vital to USA Rice's member-driven process for program development and implementation."

After the presentations on promotion results and USA Rice financials, the ARRPB approved the USA Rice Council's request for funding in the fiscal year August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018.