Rice Tec has renewed its support for the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership with a commitment of $150,000 through 2022.
“RiceTec and DU are both focused on solutions for producers that lead to greater on-farm profits and therefore a more sustainable rice industry,” Dr. Brian Ottis, director of supply management for RiceTec, said in a news release.
Special funding came from RiceTec’s owners, the Royal Family of Lichtenstein and their Lichtenstein Global Trust Foundation.
RiceTec’s service areas and DU’s priority conservation landscapes are aligned across the Gulf Coastal Prairies and the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, two of the most critical wintering areas for waterfowl on the continent.
Along the Gulf Coast, rice agriculture provides 42% of the food available to wintering dabbling ducks.
“The overall advantage of RiceTec and Rice Stewardship working together is the increased staff capacity and breadth of knowledge for the actual rice producer,” Scott Manley, DU director of conservation programs, said in the release. “Our focus on conservation planning, energy efficiencies for irrigation and maximizing participation in Farm Bill conservation programs, provides producers a full spectrum of solutions for conservation and greater profits.”
To date. more than 625,000 acres have been positively impacted by Rice Stewardship and close working partners like the Natural Resources Conservation Service and RiceTec.