Mississippi rice growers join national rice groups
January 11, 2013 | 12:31 PM
The Mississippi Rice Promotion Board joined the USA Rice Federation on January 1, following a unanimous vote of the Mississippi group on December 20.
This action brings Mississippi rice farmers together with farmers from other rice-producing states and strengthens USA Rice, which now represents about 90 percent of U.S. rice production as well as the industry infrastructure that supports U.S. rice farming, including millers, merchants and exporters.
Mississippi rice farmers will be represented on the boards of directors of the USA Rice Federation, USA Rice Producers’ Group and USA Rice Council, as well as USA Rice program committees.
The Mississippi Rice Council adopted a “unity resolution” in November 2011 in an effort to promote industry unity and cooperation among all rice producers, across all rice-state boundaries and across all industry segments. Discussions between Mississippi rice farmers and farmers in USA Rice Council member states continued throughout 2012, leading to the December vote.
“It is more important now than ever that rice farmers join together and that we work side by side as one industry,” said USA Rice Producers’ Group Chairman Linda Raun, a rice producer from El Campo, Texas. “A united industry is imperative if we are to be successful and Mississippi’s decision is a positive and important step toward achieving this goal.”
This action brings Mississippi rice farmers together with farmers from other rice-producing states and strengthens USA Rice, which now represents about 90 percent of U.S. rice production as well as the industry infrastructure that supports U.S. rice farming, including millers, merchants and exporters.
Mississippi rice farmers will be represented on the boards of directors of the USA Rice Federation, USA Rice Producers’ Group and USA Rice Council, as well as USA Rice program committees.
The Mississippi Rice Council adopted a “unity resolution” in November 2011 in an effort to promote industry unity and cooperation among all rice producers, across all rice-state boundaries and across all industry segments. Discussions between Mississippi rice farmers and farmers in USA Rice Council member states continued throughout 2012, leading to the December vote.
“It is more important now than ever that rice farmers join together and that we work side by side as one industry,” said USA Rice Producers’ Group Chairman Linda Raun, a rice producer from El Campo, Texas. “A united industry is imperative if we are to be successful and Mississippi’s decision is a positive and important step toward achieving this goal.”
