Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Army announced June 9 their intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” to better protect the nation’s  water resources. As described in an EPA declaration requesting remand...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order that would ban the sale of new gas-powered passenger cars and light duty trucks by 2035. Any new sales after the deadline would have to be 100% zero-emission vehicles. In the...

The U.S. Senate confirmed former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as the secretary of agriculture, April 24, on an 87-11 vote. As head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Perdue will be in charge of a staff of about 100,000 employees....

Growers get behind the camera to shoot videos and help educate the public about rice. By Vicky Boyd Editor When third-generation rice producer Matthew Sligar went to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to study modern American literature, he had no...

Easy-to-use Leaf Color Chart helps growers gauge crop’s mid-season nitrogen needs. By Vicky Boyd Editor The University of California, in collaboration with the California Rice Commission and the California Cooperative Rice Research Board, has released the UC Leaf Color Chart, version 2.0. The ruler-like device contains...

Drones help scout fields, saving time and giving a different perspective. By Vicky Boyd Editor Timothy Gertson readily admits that flying a drone is cool. But the producer of row crops near Lissie, Texas, is quick to point out that his...

The Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with new standards for levels of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals. In what the agency calls a draft guidance to the industry, it is proposing a threshold of 100 parts per...

California rice farmers reduced water usage long before the drought By Tim Johnson California Rice Commission In the upcoming weeks, the Sacramento Valley will look far from a drought. Farmers will start planting crops, joining the already fully leafed orchards. It will...

Charles Eames, an American designer who was born a few years into the 20th century and worked in the industrial and graphic design fields, once said, “Eventually, everything connects – people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is...

USA Rice Federation is the problem solver for the industry. By Betsy Ward President and CEO USA Rice Federation One of the most valuable players any organization can have is a Problem Solver. Whether you are talking about business, sport or philanthropy, people...

In 1961, representing more than half a century gone by, the United States severed all ties with Cuba, and U.S. rice began disappearing from Cuban dinner tables, grocery store shelves and restaurants. Prior to the embargo, Cuba was one...

By Carroll Smith Editor Buzzwords, which can be a word or a phrase, catch on from time to time in society, business groups, industries, the media, politics, etc. A popular buzzword in agriculture these days is sustainability. In rice, as well...

By Paul Buttner Environmental Affairs Manager, California Rice Commission There’s quite a bit of current activity in the conservation area as the California Rice Commission (CRC) continues building its “wildlife resume” and delivering programs to growers that help fund wildlife conservation projects....

Rice farmers reflect on family, wildlife and their love of the land The California Rice Commission posts blogs on its Web site by California rice farmers and others associated with the industry. The first two blogs featured here are by...

Both the environment and the economy realize benefits BY JUSTIN FRITSCHER NRCS-MISSISSIPPI Farmers and ranchers who use conservation practices on their land help clean water and air. Their operations are more efficient, and they promote the wise use of natural resources. USDA’s...