The Rice Stuff

Agriculture is at the intersection of science, determination, and good fortune – and innovation keeps everything moving forward. Two renowned rice scientists, Dr. Eric Webster and Dr. Steve Linscombe, join this episode to talk about important rice innovations. From the way rice is planted to the environmental impact of raising a crop, and even to how new varieties are developed, the Clearfield and Provisia rice systems have revolutionized the U.S. rice industry.

With special guests:

Dr. Eric Webster, Director, Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station and Dr. Steve Linscombe, The Rice Foundation

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

The 2018 Farm Bill is expiring and work has begun on the 2023 Farm Bill that could well spend $1 trillion. Mississippi rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Farm Policy Task Force Kirk Satterfield joins the podcast to talk about how today's Farm Bill worked when it was written, but that it has not kept up with the times. The work has just begun, but the phrase on everyone's lips should be "input cost conditions."

With special guest:

Kirk Satterfield, Mississippi rice farmer

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Rice pretenders invaded supermarket shelves, establishing a beachhead with minced cauliflower. Now chickpeas, lentils, peas, and other assorted not rice things have joined in. If they didn't call themselves "rice" we would be cool. But they do, so we aren't. We taste test some rice pretenders and are joined by Chris Galen from the National Milk Producers Federation who shares his wisdom, gained from weathering the decades long, all-out assault on real milk from nuts, plants, and other non-lactating things.

With special guests:

Christopher Galen, SVP, Membership Services & Strategic Initiatives, National Milk Producers Federation and Cameron Jacobs, Director Domestic Promotion, USA Rice

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Combined, the countries of Latin America are the second largest export market for U.S. rice. Changes in consumer preference and U.S. quality (real and perceived) has put U.S. rice behind. But many are working hard to respond to customer demands. Enter rice breeders Dr. Adam Famoso and Raul Guerra from the LSU AgCenter and Sarah Moran, vice president of international for USA Rice. Michael and Lesley also somehow bring it around to Oreos, Kraft Mac & Cheese, and Classic Coke. It's what they do.

With special guests:

Dr. Adam Famoso, Rice Breeder, LSU AgCenter, Raul Guerra, Rice Breeding Graduate Student, LSU AgCenter and Sarah Moran, Vice President, International, USA Rice

Hosted by:

Steve Linscombe, Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Part 3 of our Climate Change series looks at climate policy. In this episode we're joined by Steve Dyokas, Senior Advisor in the State Department's Office of Global Change, to talk about the global AIM for Climate initiative. We talk about climate-smart commodities with Robert Bonnie, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. And Arkansas rice farmer Mark Isbell offers a grower perspective on what he thinks makes good climate ag policy.

With special guests:

Steven Dyokas, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of State, Office of Global Change, Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Mark Isbell, Arkansas rice farmer

Hosted by: Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

The United States and Mexico have a very special trade relationship – especially when it comes to U.S.-grown rice. In this episode, USA Rice Director of International Promotion Asiha Grigsby comes in to talk about the top export market for our rice, including consumer perceptions and what her team is doing to influence them, obstacles and opportunities, and more. And somehow Michael and Lesley bring it around to large Japanese mascots.

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

War in Europe, continuing supply chain and logistics challenges, climate change, economic pressures, an absentee trade agenda from the Biden Administration, and more are making it difficult to be optimistic about anything—let alone rice—an export-dependent crop. USA Rice's Sarah Moran and Peter Bachmann, who tag-team international issues for the industry, join Michael and Lesley to share their outlook on trouble spots and opportunities.

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Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

People who need to control their blood sugar often give up rice. But thanks to a new variety with a low glycemic index, that may no longer be necessary. It's also high in protein & delicious. Developed at the LSU AgCenter and grown in southern Illinois and southwestern Louisiana, the rice is marketed under the names Cahokia and Parish. The rice growers, Blake Gerard & Michael Fruge, join us, along with LSU's Dr. Herry Utomo and nutritionist and registered dietitian Mandy Armentor to explain the science.

Hosted by:

Steve Linscombe and Michael Klein

India has become the largest exporter of rice in the world and by their own admission, they are not playing by the rules of fair trade. In this episode, USA Rice Chair and CEO of Supreme Rice Mill Bobby Hanks, USA Rice VP of International Trade Peter Bachmann, and ag trade expert Ben Conner of DTB AgriTrade explain India's market-distorting schemes, what it means for the U.S. industry and other international competitors, and what they think the U.S. government should do about it.

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Ag extension offices and the specialists housed in them are among the most valuable assets any farmer can have. Tracing their roots back to clubs formed shortly after the American Revolution, today they use cutting-edge technology to help farmers with crops, sustainability, and profitability. Dr. Steve Linscombe welcomes three current extension specialists, Dr. Jarrod Hardke from Arkansas, Dr. Ronnie Levy from Louisiana, and California's Dr. Bruce Linquist to explain what they do for the rice industry.

Hosted by:

Steve Linscombe, Michael Klein, and Lesley Dixon