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February 27 Sign-Up Deadline
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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

In Memory:  Lee Adams  

 
Lee Adams (r) receives  
RMA Distinguished Service Award  
in 2011 from Paul Crutchfield 

The U.S. rice industry is deeply saddened by the passing of Lee Adams, 74, of College Station, Texas, on Friday, February 13.  Lee Adams was one of the industry's most stalwart and respected leaders. 

His many leadership roles included dedicated service on the boards of USA Rice organizations and The Rice Foundation.  He was a past officer of the USA Rice Council and served as chairman of the USA Rice Federation from 2004 to 2006.  

Adams was a long-time board member and past chairman of the USA Rice Millers' Association, which in 2011 named him a recipient of the RMA Distinguished Service Award, the organization's highest honor.  

He also was a strong supporter of the Rice Leadership Development Program, which identifies and nurtures young industry leaders.

 

"Lee was adamant that we have young leaders moving up through the ranks to sustain the strength of our industry's organizations," said Chris Crutchfield, current RMA chairman and a leadership program graduate.  "In my professional and personal life, Lee served as both a mentor and father figure, and I know he had the same influence on many others in our industry."

 

"Lee exemplified statesmanship and his legacy in the rice industry will be long lasting," said USA Rice Federation President & CEO Betsy Ward.  "His passion and commitment inspired us all."

 

A memorial mass service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 20, at St. Laurence Catholic Church, 3100 Sweetwater Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 12th Man Foundation, P.O. Box 2800, College Station, TX 77841, or to St. Laurence Church, 3100 Sweetwater Blvd., Sugar Land, TX 77479.  An online guestbook is available for messages to the family.  

Farm Bill Sign-Ups, Domestic Promotion, and Trade Featured at Mississippi Rice Council 

 
USA Rice CEO Betsy Ward delivers rice industry report in MS 

STONEVILLE, MS -- The USA Rice Federation gave an overview of key priorities for the organization at the Mississippi Rice Council meeting on Friday.

 

Government Affairs Vice President Ben Mosely reminded Mississippi growers that the deadline to make yield updates and base acre allocation under the 2014 Farm Bill is fast approaching, and that growers need to go into their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices and fill out the paperwork.

 

"We know sign-ups are progressing slowly all around the country, but if people wait until the last minute, the FSA offices are going to be overwhelmed, not to mention the fact that soon enough, rice farmers are going to be back out in the fields -- please don't delay any longer," he said.

 

Communications Vice President Michael Klein provided communications and domestic promotion updates to the crowd, including the details of ongoing outreach with supermarket retail dietitians.

 

"This is a growing and influential group and they are very receptive to rice messages," he said.  "We provide them with information on rice's sustainability, nutritional benefits, and the fact that U.S.-grown rice is GMO and gluten free and they pass this along enthusiastically to their customers in a variety of ways, benefiting the entire U.S. industry."

 

USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward spoke about the task of having to educate so many new Members of Congress on important rice issues including trade with Iraq, Cuba, and Mexico, and the ongoing Trans Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

 

Ward pointed to the Colombia FTA as an example of how powerful and beneficial good, common-sense trade agreements can be.  "Not only did we create a new market for our rice, but the benefits are spread throughout the rice industry, funding important industry research that helps us improve the quality, sustainability, and marketability of our rice," she said.  Mississippi rice research has received more than $1 million dollars since the agreement was signed. 

 

Ward also shared her view that once legal and legislative hurdles have been cleared, the U.S. rice industry should quickly recapture some of the Cuban rice market.  She said, "We need normal commercial relations to secure this market and we are working hard in Washington to support Congressional efforts to achieve this goal."

 

"The meeting was a total success with informative reports from the top leadership of our USA Federation regarding the future of the rice industry," said Curtis Berry, Mississippi Rice Council President.

 

Contact:  Chuck Wilson (870) 673-7541

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   
CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for February 17

Month
Price
Net Change
March 2015$10.680
+ $0.155
May 2015$10.880
+ $0.115
July 2015$11.125
+ $0.110
September 2015$11.160
+ $0.105
November 2015$11.315
+ $0.090
January 2016
$11.405
+ $0.090
March 2016
$11.405
+ $0.090

In the News 

Around Washington

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Around the Country

Experimental Project Proving to be Good for Salmon and Rice ChicoER

While benefits to the fish are innumerable, making the fields habitable for salmon has actually increased rice yields.

 

West Coast Ports Dispute Drags On; Labor Secretary to Intervene New York Times

A partial shutdown of 29 U.S. West Coast ports stretched into a third day on Monday ahead of the U.S. labor secretary's scheduled arrival in San Francisco to try to broker a settlement ending months of disruptions on the cargo-clogged docks.

 

 

Trade and Tariffs

India Has No Business Exporting Rice Delta Farm Press

According to author Milo Hamilton, rice superpowers China and India -- known collectively by some as "Chindia" -- will write the fate of the rice industry in every other country including the United States.

 

 

Science and Technology

As Rules Get Sorted Out, Drones May Transform Agriculture Industry NPR

At farm shows across the country, drones have become as ubiquitous as John Deere tractors.

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