WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced key steps in further implementing the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) programs in the 2014 Farm Bill.  The announcement includes the rule that provides for further details of the operation and function of the PLC and ARC programs, and the availability of web-based decisions tools analyzing the options of PLC and ARC and base and yield adjustments. 

 

Vilsack also announced that beginning Monday, September 29, farm owners can visit their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices to begin the process of reallocating base acres and updating payment yields, if they chose to make these changes.

 

Further program dates and deadlines will be announced in the future, including the election period to choose between PLC and ARC, and the sign-up period for enrolling in the programs for both the 2014 and 2015 crop years.  Other resources are located on the FSA farm bill page, including FAQs and a fact sheet on base reallocation, yield updates, and PLC and ARC.

 

Contact:  Reece Langley (703) 236-1471

ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Outlook Conference and Trade Show will be held December 7-9 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, AR.   Register by November 10 to take advantage of an "early bird" registration discount. 

The educational program will cover farm bill implementation, trade issues, state-by-state rice production outlooks, state and national rice research, and more.  News on rice-related equipment, technology, products and services also will be featured in a special session.

 

Information on conference exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities is available online or call (703) 236-1447.  Watch the USA Rice Daily for conference news and updates.

 

Contact:  Jeanette Davis (703) 236-1447  

ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Outlook Conference hotel block at the Little Rock Marriott is now open with rates of $129, single/double, for reservations made by November 5 or until the room block fills.  This special rate also is available three days prior and three days after the official conference dates, subject to hotel availability.

 

To make your reservations, call the hotel at (877) 759-6290 and ask for the USA Rice rate, or click here to make reservations online.

 

Contact:  Jeanette Davis (703) 236-1447

 

USA Rice supplied JEB Stuart High School with a 40-cup commercial rice cooker, several rice bowl recipes, nutritional information, and rice signage.  The Raider Boosters, the volunteers in charge of concessions at the games, chose to kick the year off with a Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl with Broccoli that they call "The Raider Rice Bowl," after the school mascot.

 

"We liked the idea of offering the rice bowl to our students and guests because it's an easy-to-make, complete meal," explained Rich Bacherman, concessions manager for the school.  "A lot of the athletes and kids don't have time to go home before games; they look to us to feed them.  We wanted to go beyond hot dogs, candy bars, and soda, and give them something filling, nutritious, and affordable."

 

Bacherman said the Raider Rice Bowl sold out at the first two home volleyball games and made quite an impression on visitors to the school.

 

Rice wins every time

"I can't believe they're actually cooking all this stuff right here," said an athlete from a visiting team who purchased two bowls.  "We just serve hot dogs and greasy pizza.  This is great!"

 

"This Raider Rice Bowl is the best thing I've eaten from a concession stand at any sporting event at any level," said one school official.

 

"We appreciate the support of the USA Rice Federation for our school and our athletes, and we're happy to help get the message out that rice is part of a healthy diet and that it's grown here in the U.S.," Bacherman said.

 

Contact:  Michael Klein (703) 236-1458

WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 46,400 MT for 2014/2015 were up 51 percent from the previous week and 5 percent from the prior four-week average, according to today's Export Sales Highlights report.  Increases were reported for El Salvador (12,000 MT), Japan (12,000 MT), Honduras (9,400 MT, including 8,400 MT switched from unknown destinations), Saudi Arabia (8,600 MT), and South Korea (6,100 MT).  Decreases were reported for unknown destinations (8,400 MT), Haiti (600 MT), and Guatemala (100 MT). 

Exports of 68,800 MT were up noticeably from the previous week and from the prior four-week average.  The primary destinations were to Venezuela (32,700 MT), Honduras (9,300 MT), Haiti (8,300 MT), Ghana (7,000 MT), and Mexico (4,100 MT).

This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period September 12-18.