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Monday, February 23, 2015

Western Port Slowdown Appears to Be Over 

Ready to ship
WASHINGTON, DC -- Media are reporting that an agreement has been reached between dockworkers and employers to bring an end to the work slowdown that has reduced trade in and out of 29 western ports to a slow drip.

 

The slowdown was particularly troublesome to the California rice industry that exports about half of its crop each year.

 

After nine months of squabbling between the parties, President Obama dispatched U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez to the area to help end the conflict.   

 

While that seems to have worked, it will take some time for operations to return to normal at the ports.  And consumer confidence has been impacted as well.  Perez told the Los Angeles Times "[t]hey understand that they not only have to restore service, they have to restore confidence."

 

"The USA Rice Federation had joined with more than 90 ag and trade groups urging a quick resolution to the dispute that was causing the work slowdown," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.  "These delays have had a direct effect on export sales for rice and we're hopeful this settlement is a permanent solution that allows everyone to get back to work."


Contact:  Michael Klein (703) 236-1458 

2015 Dietary Guidelines Stresses Sustainability and Shift to Plant-Based Diet, Rice Well-Positioned    

From left:  Katie Maher, Fred Zaunbrecher, and Bryon Holmes 
WASHINGTON, DC -- Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Advisory Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) for public comment and rice remains well-positioned thanks to the industry's sustainability record and the committee's grains recommendation.

 

The DGAC develops influential nutrition recommendations designed to reduce the risk of chronic disease while meeting nutrient requirements and promoting health of the U.S. population.

 

The 2015 Advisory Report identifies that a healthy dietary pattern is higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy, seafood, legumes, and nuts; lower in red and processed meats; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, as well as sodium, saturated fat, and refined grains - especially when refined grains are combined with added sugar, solid fat, and sodium.

 

"This report emphasizes increasing whole grain consumption, which is not new advice, but is good for rice," said Byron Holmes, an Arkansas rice grower and chairman of the USA Rice Nutrition Subcommittee.  "In fact, the 2015 report, in many ways, is similar to the 2010 guidelines that recommend half of American's grain intake should come from whole grains and recognizes the important nutrient contribution of enriched, fortified grains to the diet.

 

"The panel also supports a shift to a more plant-based diet and considered the composition of dietary patterns that were linked to health outcomes, such as the Mediterranean and vegetarian patterns," said Fred Zaunbrecher, a Louisiana rice producer and chairman of the USA Rice Domestic Promotion Committee.  "And this is beneficial for both whole grain rice and enriched white rice because they are a great base for the foods the DGAC recommends."

 

New this year, the Advisory Report references the sustainability of foods and cites it as one of the benefits of a plant-based diet, saying Americans should take the sustainability of food production into consideration when making food choices.

 

"The U.S. rice industry's nutrition and sustainability studies we provided to the DGAC, demonstrated both the nutritional benefits of rice and positive scientific data showing that rice farmers are producing more rice with less resources and that rice growing has a unique relationship to wetlands, habitat, and wildlife," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.

 

USA Rice will submit comments to the Advisory Report through the Grain Industry and Grocery Manufacturers Association coalitions. Following the comment period and a public meeting next month, USDA and HHS will finalize the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 for release later this year.

 

Contact:  Katie Maher (703) 236-1453

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   
CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for February 23

Month
Price
Net Change
March 2015$10.465
- $0.325
May 2015$10.720
- $0.320
July 2015$10.970
- $0.320
September 2015$11.000
- $0.320
November 2015$11.170
- $0.305
January 2016$11.260
- $0.305
March 2016$11.260
- $0.305

In the News 

Around the Country
Despite West Coast Ports' Labor Deal, Normality Not Yet on Horizon LA Times
West Coast ports are emerging from the most contentious labor dispute in more than a decade, but lingering resentment and structural problems may complicate a return to normality.

Sushi Proposal Leaves Health Department Out Cold CT.Post.com
A proposal to use vinegar instead of refrigeration to preserve rice at sushi restaurants has drawn snickers in the Capitol and started a food fight between small businesses and the state Department of Public Health.

USDA Releases Supply and Demand Estimates for Major Crops Agri Pulse
USDA released its supply and demand projections for the major U.S. crops. The estimates were released at the department's annual Agricultural Outlook Forum.

West Coast Ports to Begin Tackling Backlog After Labor Deal Yahoo
U.S. West Coast ports resumed full operations Saturday evening after a tentative labor deal was reached between a dockworkers union and a group of shippers, easing months of disruptions to trans-Pacific trade that have hit businesses from automakers to meat exports.
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