Rice farmers just by their nature are conservationists and stewards of the land. But do you know a producer who goes above and beyond the call of duty by adopting the latest technologies to further protect resources?
Nominate him or her for the inaugural USA Rice Sustainability Award.
The award is open to individuals or entities with significant involvement in the U.S. rice industry and with a history of promoting and advancing sustainability through innovative practices and demonstrated leadership in the sustainability community.
“Putting sustainable practices into your operation is important, but just as important is telling people you are doing it,” says Jennifer James, a Newport, Arkansas, rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee. “This is about communicating to the public and our customers that we are being responsible and we are doing right by the environment. If we don’t show them that we are the good guys, how will they know?
“What if they start to deselect U.S. rice because they don’t realize how environmentally beneficial we really are? That would be a disaster for us but also for the environment and the wildlife habitats we’re creating.”
The deadline to submit nominations is Sept. 29, and the award will be presented at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 10.
Download the nomination form by clicking here. Once completed, email it to awards@usarice.com.