My journey into agriculture, particularly rice in the Mid-South, is anything but conventional. I grew up in the heart of Dallas, Texas. That’s not to say I didn’t have a connection to agriculture. Like a lot of folks post World War II, my grandparents left the High Plains of West Texas and rural Kentucky and Arkansas to make their way to the growing metropolis of Dallas in a changing world. Growing up, we’d visit my extended family in West Texas who raised cotton and cattle. I can remember my youngest sister coming home and telling people about going to visit “our farm,” which was quite a stretch.
Fast forward to the end of high school and deciding on college — other than going to some friend’s ranches on the weekends and seeing a cow every now and then, agriculture wasn’t even a blip on my radar. Despite having almost no connection to the state or region at all, and like all well-guided 18-year-olds from Dallas, I ended up at the University of Mississippi. The Good Lord has always been gracious, and this decision, despite my lack of forethought, set me on a course I could have never predicted.
The summer after my freshman year proved a turning point. I had the opportunity to work on a cattle ranch in southern Montana. It was a life-changing experience. I was exposed to production agriculture for the first time. I learned to drive equipment, irrigate, work cattle, and truly work hard. I also didn’t see a mosquito all summer, could move hay all day, and barely break a sweat. If it hadn’t been for my mother’s strong objections, I might’ve never left. But I returned to the South where my education in agriculture took an unexpected and exciting turn.
That return led me to two things I never knew existed: the Mississippi Delta and waterfowl hunting. Through the graciousness of Mike “Catfish” Flautt, I received as thorough an introduction to the Delta as anyone could hope for. A very long story short, I spent most of college and a couple of years after college chasing ducks and managing waterfowl property in Mississippi. During that time, my employer was adamant about growing rice for waterfowl on the property. Ole Miss lacked Rice Growing 101 on the curriculum, so I did what anybody would: I went to town to Jimmy Sanders and asked a couple fine gentlemen who could teach me how to grow rice. The conversation went something like, “Tim, go see Gary Pongetti.” My ignorant response was probably, “he can help me?” The phrase I’ll never forget — “Son, that man has webbed feet; he’ll teach you everything you need to know about growing rice.”
And he did. With his guidance, I planted nearly 40 acres of Clearfield 151 with a six-foot Great Plains food plot drill on some Arkansas Prairie-like contours. He showed me how to pull levees, install gates, patch levees, run and patch poly pipe, and optimize water and fertilizer use. I thought that stuff in Montana was work. Needless to say, there’s a lot of perspective to be gained in a rice field in Mississippi in the summer. The people who helped me grow that little rice crop are too many to list, but I am forever grateful to them.
After a brief stint back in Texas, I decided I wanted to pursue a more formal career in agriculture in the Delta. I connected with Dr. Tim Walker who’d recently taken over as general manager at Horizon Ag. Horizon had an open sales position covering Mississippi and North Louisiana. Dr. Walker took a chance on me, and that opportunity set the course for the next decade of my life.
Working at Horizon with folks like Dr. Walker, LuElla Sprout, Dr. Sunny Bottoms, Michael Fruge, and Garrett Williams, was a life-changing experience. The same could be said about the rice industry itself. Being involved in this industry introduced me to some of the finest people I’ve ever known. Many of my closest friends, mentors, and even my wife are the result of my time in rice. I owe a great deal to the U.S. rice industry and to the Delta farmers who embraced and educated me along the way.
In 2023, my career took another turn when I accepted a position with Conterra Ag Capital to help build our business in the Mid-South and Delta region. Working at Conterra allows me to stay in the agricultural space and continue serving the customers and areas where I had existing relationships.
Reflecting on this journey — from a Dallas suburb to the rice fields of the Delta — I’m deeply grateful for the mentors, friendships, and experiences that have shaped my career. Agriculture has a way of pulling people in, often from unexpected places. For me, it started with a summer job in Montana, a passion for waterfowl hunting, and the wisdom of men with “webbed feet.” It’s been a remarkable ride, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
— Tim Jett
Memphis, Tenn.