Promoting U.S. rice outside...

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA -- The USA Rice Federation initiated a campaign here last week in major malls and hypermarkets in cooperation with two locally available U.S. rice brands.  Promotional efforts for U.S. rice are concentrated during the time just before and during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts on June 28 this year.  The consumption of rice and food products is at its peak during this period.  Even though people are fasting during the day, at sunset families gather and consume elaborate meals before they start fasting again when the sun rises.  Also, during this time, many Saudis donate rice to charity contributing to increased rice consumption during this period.

U.S.-grown rice was promoted with 80 billboards along heavily trafficked roads in Jeddah, a city of almost 3 million.  Point-of-sale materials were installed in four malls where U.S. rice brands are sold. The messaging directs consumers to U.S. rice, communicating its origin and high quality.  Additionally, USA Rice promotional booths are being installed in four selected malls, aimed at increasing visibility for U.S. rice, and educating visitors through direct interaction and distribution of USA Rice information and recipe booklets, as well as samples donated by the participating U.S. rice brands.

And inside the mall.

Activities in major selected shopping malls are an efficient way to reach targeted consumers in Saudi Arabia.  Given the limited access to cinemas, theaters, and other leisure activities in Saudi Arabia, shopping is the most popular entertainment activity, and is often a family affair on the Saudi weekend.

Saudi Arabia imported 136,000 MT of U.S. rice in 2013, about 80-85 percent of which is long grain, parboiled rice with the remainder U.S. medium grain rice.  There are five U.S. long grain, parboiled brands and six U.S. medium grain brands on the Saudi market.

Contact:  Jim Guinn, (703) 236-1474

Governor Jindal

BATON ROUGE, LA -- Earlier this week, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed

Contact:  Randy Jemison, (337) 738-7009

Around Washington

Agricultural Community Reacts to EPA Greenhouse Gas Proposal Agri-Pulse

The Environmental Protection Agency's draft proposal aims to cut carbon pollution from the nation's coal-fired power plants, calling for cutting carbon emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels

RCPP Twitter Chat USDA

NRCS will be hosting a live Twitter chat on the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) onJune 3, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST

Around the Country

It will be a full week into June before a lot of ground would be dried back out enough to plant more rice, meaning that rice may no longer be the most appealing option

Counting Each Drop: Corporate Concern Mounts about Water Supplies New York Times

The concept of "water risk" is a way of thinking about potential exposure not just to shortages or deluges, but also pollution, regulatory troubles or increases in the prices of water and water-dependent raw materials

New Rice Mill Planned in Pine Bluff Times Record

South wind Milling Co. will build a rice mill at the Port of Pine Bluff with construction planned to begin immediately with the goal to begin operating by February 2015 and have a capacity of 12 metric tons per hour

Will Mississippi End Its Love Affair with Seniority? Wall Street Journal

The state's congressional delegation over more than half a century has been populated by a phalanx of lawmakers who were elected young, stayed in office for decades and achieved great power in Congress

Science and Technology

Agricultural Technology 'Absolutely Essential' to Meet World Food Needs  

Delta Farm Press

The challenge is producing more food in the next 40 years than during the entire course of human history, on a planet showing signs of environmental stress

Fighting Deadly Disease with Grains of Rice New York Times

Bioengineering vaccines or antibodies into rice would allow them to be stockpiled easily, without the cost of cold storage, for up to three years at room temperature