Report from Missouri Rice Council Annual Meeting
Last week, Bootheel rice farmers gathered here for the Missouri Rice Council annual meeting that had been rescheduled due to a February snow storm.
Following a short reception, attendees heard from several speakers focused on the Council’s financial report, markets, state political updates, ongoing research efforts, and rice trade promotion activities. One special guest speaker was former USA Rice Farmers Board member and current State Senator Jason Bean. He provided updates on legislative efforts to prevent the export of irrigation water out of the state to maintain ample access for agricultural use.
USA Rice staff visited with growers before and after the meeting and shared updates on anticipated timing for the coming rice economic assistance, opportunities for increased market access in 2025 and beyond, and the status of Farm Bill negotiations in Washington.
Rance Daniels, a USA Rice Board Member who farms in Hornersville, was recently elected the chair of the Missouri Rice Council and provided remarks during the meeting.
“Despite a challenging economic outlook for farmers this year, we are looking forward to getting our crop in the ground soon and we anticipate our acreage here in the Bootheel will be about level with last year’s acreage as long as everyone gets the seed they’re requesting,” Daniels said. “The emergency economic assistance secured at the end of last year will prove key to many continuing farming this year, and we hope to see Congress act soon towards enacting a Farm Bill with meaningful safety net increases, effective for the 2025 crop year.”
Missouri is consistently the fourth largest U.S. rice-growing state.
— Jamison Cruce
Leadership Farm Bureau class announced for 2025
Eight agricultural professionals have been chosen for the California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Leadership Farm Bureau program.
Leadership Farm Bureau class members will participate in a yearlong educational and development initiative that prepares them for leadership roles in Farm Bureau and agriculture. The program includes 200 hours of instruction, with seminars on key issues affecting California farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses.
Program participants will learn about government and legislation, media and communications, public speaking, and team building. They will also attend lobbying sessions in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and meet with lawmakers and administrative and regulatory officials.
Members of the Leadership Farm Bureau class are:
■ Tharvin Gill of Yuba-Sutter County, the Western region vice president relationship manager for Conterra Ag Capital.
■ Alexis Harvey of Solano County, a crop consultant for Grow West, an account manager for Dixon Bee Co., a pollination consultant for Beewise, and the manager of Bedoya Orchards.
■ Miranda Jachens of El Dorado County, the membership and marketing manager for the California Farm Labor Contractor Association.
■ Alicia Muhr of San Diego County, the office manager at San Diego County Farm Bureau.
■ David Perry of Glenn County, a fourth-generation rice farmer and owner of a trucking company that hauls rice, nuts, fruit, aggregate, and cement powder.
■ Samantha Piehoff of Sonoma County, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau operations manager and a fourth-generation agriculturist.
■ Harley Ramirez of Shasta County, the manager for Sunbelt Rentals, where he helps provide rental equipment to local and regional farmers, ranchers, contractors, and others.
■ John Tamayo of Imperial County, an outside sales representative for Rain for Rent, working with farmers and ranchers to provide irrigation solutions.
The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 26,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of 5.8 million Farm Bureau members.
USA Rice Applauds Jamieson Greer Confirmation to USTR
Jamieson Greer
Recently, the U.S. Senate approved Jamieson Greer with a 56-43 vote to lead the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Greer, who is no stranger to rice country, previously served as chief of staff under U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and most recently was a partner on the international trade team at King & Spalding, an American multinational law firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
As USTR, Greer will be responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s America First Trade Policy agenda, including addressing unfair and non-reciprocal foreign trade practices as well as leading the 2026 United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) review. The USTR is responsible for leading market access and trade negotiations as well as trade enforcement.
The America First Trade Policy agenda is expected to include protection and rebuilding of the U.S. manufacturing sector.
“As essential U.S. food manufacturers, we’re optimistic that these policies will extend to the U.S. rice industry and allow for recapturing of American market share following a decade of import growth by foreign rice,” said USA Rice president & CEO Peter Bachmann. “We congratulate Ambassador Greer on his swift approval through the U.S. Senate and look forward to working closely with him to address the many unfair trade practices plaguing the U.S. rice industry while opening new market opportunities so our industry can prosper for years to come.”
— Karah Janevicius