The Rice Stuff

Each October, tens of thousands of people descend on Crowley, Louisiana to celebrate rice. There's music, a carnival, a cooking contest, multiple parades, rice threshing demonstrations, and of course, the competition for the title of International Rice Festival Queen. Michael was at the festival again and comes back with this report.

With special guests:

Letha Vincent, International Rice Festival, Caroline Hardy, 84th International Rice Festival Queen, Kathryn Shea Duncan, 81st International Rice Festival Queen, and Sadie Zaunbrecher, 85th International Rice Festival Queen

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

About 50 percent of rice grown in the U.S. is exported to 120 countries around the globe. The vast majority goes to consumers in the western hemisphere, so very appropriate that Asiha Grigsby, who oversees rice promotions in the region joined us to talk about her recent trip to Peru and the delegation of Central Americans she hosted in the mid-South. And newly back from U.S. rice day in the UK, Peter Bachmann joins us to talk about trade agreements, the UK, Haiti, and India.

With special guests:

Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice, director international promotion Western Hemisphere and Peter Bachmann, USA Rice, vice president policy and government affairs

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

U.S. Senator John Boozman, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and major U.S. rice supporter, joins the podcast to talk about challenges facing rice farmers, the looming Farm Bill, bipartisanship, educating people with no farm experience, and what percentage of Americans have never seen a cow. But first, Michael and Lesley sit down with three USDA NASS officials to talk about the statistical survey work they do and why it is so important for farmers to participate.

With special guests:

U.S. Senator John Boozman, Arkansas, Michael Klamm, Deputy Regional Director of NASS's Delta Region – Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Lance Honig, Chief of NASS's Crops Branch and Tony Dorn, Chief of NASS's Environmental, Economics and Demographics Branch

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Feral hogs are an invasive species that cause millions of dollars in damage to agriculture every year. Wildlife experts William Futch of USDA/APHIS and Glen Gentry of the LSU AgCenter join our own Steve Linscombe and Arkansas rice farmer Jim Whitaker to talk about this growing problem and how it is being dealt with, from traps and poison, to hunting and electrified barriers.

With special guests:

William Futch, USDA-APHIS, Glen Gentry, LSU AgCenter, and Jim Whitaker, Arkansas rice farmer

Hosted by:

Steve Linscombe, Lesley Dixon and Michael Klein

September is National Rice Month and Whole Grains Month, and this episode is jam packed. Louisiana's Robbie Trahan, Mississippi's Laura Jane Giaccaglia, and Arkansas' Becky Barnes Campbell and Kelly Robbins share how our mighty grain is celebrated in their states. The Whole Grains Council's Kelly LeBlanc joins to talk nutrition messaging, and our own Cameron Jacobs and Deborah Willenborg stop by to help honor the men and women of the U.S. rice industry and kick off the Annual NRM Video Scholarship Contest. More at www.ReelRiceContest.com and www.wholegrainscouncil.org.

With special guests:

Deborah Willenborg, USA Rice, Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice, Laura Jane Giaccaglia, Mississippi State University Extension Office, Becky Barnes Campbell, Arkansas Rice, Kelly Robbins, Arkansas Rice, Robbie Trahan, Falcon Rice Mill, and Kelly LeBlanc, Oldways Whole Grains Council

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Michael went on location to interview PJ Haynie (@PJHaynieIII), farmer and owner of the new Arkansas River Rice Mill in Pine Bluff, AR, and talked about representation, equity, and community in agriculture. Meanwhile, Dr. Steve Linscombe and Lesley discuss the ins and outs of the Rice Foundation Leadership Development Program and its role in creating future rice leaders and advocates. Applications for the program are currently open and can be submitted at usarice.com/foundation/leadership-program.

With special guests:

PJ Haynie, farmer and owner of Arkansas River Rice Mill and Dr. Steve Linscombe, director of the Rice Foundation and the Rice Leadership Development Program

Hosted by:

Lesley Dixon and Michael Klein

Today's supermarkets have come a long way from their humble beginnings as General Stores. The grocery choices facing U.S. consumers are unparalleled and the system that delivers fresh and clean food to every corner of the country is nothing short of a modern miracle. Benjamin Lorr, author of "The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket," joins the podcast for an enlightening discussion of grocery retail and where it's heading. Buy the book here.

With special guest:

Benjamin Lorr, Author

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon

Deep in the dog days of summer, Michael and Lesley have done some rice travel, taking along their trusty field recorders. First, Lesley attended the Eagle Lake, TX field day where she caught up with Kirby Brown and other Ducks Unlimited experts to talk drought, water management, and wildlife. And in windy CA, Michael sat down with former Google exec Steve Lerch to talk about trends and how influencer culture is unseating ad culture.

With special guests:

Kirby Brown, Dennis Neuman, Raul Villarreal, and Stephen Rockwood from Ducks Unlimited, and Steve Lerch, StoryArc Consulting

Lesley went on location for this episode to talk about koji, the official mold of Japan, with chef Jeremy Umansky (@TMGastronaut) who co-wrote "Koji Alchemy" and uses koji in his Jewish-style delicatessen in Ohio. She also went to Texas Sake Company (@txsakeco) in Austin to talk about their Lone Star State take on the popular Japanese drink. Lesley sat down with co-owner Tim Klatt, brewer Curt Christian, and resident sushi chef Michael Carranza before embarking on her sake flight.

With special guests:

Jeremy Umansky, Chef, Owner, and Author, Larder: A Curated Delicatessen & Bakery, Tim Klatt, Co-Owner, Texas Sake Company, Curt Christian, Head Brewer, Texas Sake Company, and Michael Carranza, Texas Sushiko

Hosted by:

Lesley Dixon and Michael Klein

Cuba was at one time the largest export market for U.S.-grown rice, but the Kennedy Administration's embargo of The Island brought an end to that. And 60 years later, we're still feeling the effects: a food crisis in Cuba and a reliable, close export market gone. This episode looks at the current situation with U.S.-Cuban trade. Special guests Paul Johnson, chair of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba and Rodney Gonzalez, Counselor Embassy of Cuba join Asiha Grigsby and Lesley Dixon.

With special guests:

Paul Johnson, Chair, U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba and Rodney A. González Maestrey, Counselor, Embassy of Cuba

Hosted by:

Lesley Dixon and Asiha Grigsby