Members of this year's International Rice Leadership Class are: Tom Butler, Woodland, CA; Jim Whitaker, McGehee, AR; Blake Gerard, Cape Girardeau, MO; Brian Wild, LA; and Dr. Bert Greenwalt, Jonesboro, AR.

 

In Beijing, the group met with Dr. Juhui Huang of Archer Daniels Midlands who briefed the team on the Chinese rice industry from production to processing and sales.  Next, the class visited the U.S. embassy to meet Lou Vanechanos of APHIS who talked about his experiences dealing with the Chinese government and U.S. efforts to obtain phytosanitary approval for the import of U.S.-grown rice.  Later that day, the class met with Chinese government officials representing AQSIQ, the Chinese equivalent of APHIS, to get their perspective on the phytosanitary proceedings.  

 

For insight into the production side of the Chinese rice industry, the group traveled to Guangdong, the most populace province in China, to visit the area's largest private rice mill and tour a local farm to observe harvest in full swing.

 

"Being able to see the way the Chinese process rice was an eye-opening experience at every turn," said Missouri producer Blake Gerard. "We all learned a lot while observing the procedures utilized from harvest to handling and on through milling."

 

Just waiting for U.S. rice

In Guangdong's economic hub of ShenZhen, the group met with the Hong Tai Xiang Import and Export Company, the city's largest private importer.  Ms. Chris Zhang, Chairman of Hong Tai Xiang, took the class on a visit to the Shekou container port where her company does the majority of its business.  Zhang was confident that there is a market in China for U.S. rice and insisted she will be the first to import U.S. milled rice to China.

 

In Hong Kong, the class met with trade officials, the Hong Kong Rice Association, and personnel from the Agriculture Trade office at the U.S. Consulate.

 

"I've always said the most important resource the rice industry has is its people," said Chuck Wilson, director of the Rice Foundation, who organized the trip.  "We all reap the benefits of exposing these young industry leaders to every aspect of rice production, both in the U.S. and abroad."

 

The Rice Leadership Development Program is sponsored by John Deere Company, American Commodity Company, and RiceTec, Inc. through a grant to the Rice Foundation and is managed by the USA Rice Federation.

 

Contact:  Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444