WASHINGTON, D.C.-The House and Senate Agriculture Chairmen received welcome, but not entirely unexpected news when they reviewed the 2016 budget conference report. The report stated that neither the House nor the Senate Agriculture Committees are required to trim money from the Farm Bill.  

"The conference report as it relates to agriculture is a clear indication that Congress recognizes that the Agriculture Committees stepped up to the plate by reducing spending through the Farm Bill signed into law last year," said USA Rice's vice president of Government Affairs Ben Mosely.  

According to reports, even though the no-cut decision was anticipated, it was still appreciated. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), a Senate Budget conferee and ranking Democrat on Senate Agriculture, credits the backing of 400 different groups for their efforts in keeping House reconciliation directions for cuts to agriculture out of the budget conference reports.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI- The island nation of Haiti, a little more than 1,000 miles from the United States, has long been an important market for U.S. rice. However, in  

U.S. rice and Haiti have similar goals

December 2012, the Government of Haiti signed an agreement with the government of  Vietnam allowing the purchase of  

300,000 MT of milled long grain rice; at that time, the U.S. had a 97 percent market share in Haiti. 

In 2013, a total of 66,000 MT of Viet rice was imported to Haiti, displacing U.S. rice and reducing our market share to 78 percent.   

"Viet rice, while cheaper, has a bad image - if it is not consumed right after it's cooked, then it becomes very hard and difficult to eat. American rice does not have that reputation," says Ives-Marie Channel, USA Rice's marketing representation in Haiti. "USA Rice promotions in Haiti stress the high quality, reliability and excellent cooking characteristics of U.S. rice, or as many Haitians know it, Miami rice."

After compiling an extensive list of the rice trade in Haiti and consulting with the major players, USA Rice began conducting 1,000 radio promotions and four 15-minute radio programs which discussed rice in depth.    

The most visible activity last year were TV and radio spots broadcast during the World Cup. USA Rice broadcast 5,166 spots on 10 radio stations and 1,760 commercials were broadcasted on 6 television stations.    

In 2014, Haiti brought in less than 20,000 MT of Viet rice and the U.S. market share rose back up to 96 percent. There have not been any reports of Viet rice imports into Haiti in 2015 thus far. 

USA Rice is continuing its successful promotions in 2015, including sponsoring a local soccer team which will place U.S. rice posters in their stadiums, strengthening the positive image of U.S. rice, encouraging continued consumption, and protecting U.S. market share. 

Haiti consistently ranks among the top three markets for U.S. rice and the largest market for milled rice. Haiti was the second largest single destination for U.S. rice last year (361,578 MT) and the third largest value market ($185 million). 

Around the Country

Growing Leaders the Rice Way TWILA

Video report on the most recent Rice Leadership Development Class touring the Gulf Coast for their first session.

Seed Foundation Facility Headed to Stuttgart UALR Public Radio

The $2 million for the new facility will come through tariff rate quota funds generated for domestic rice research from the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, which established an annual tariff rate quota for U.S. rice exported to Colombia.

Tips for Transitioning Farm to Next Generation Delta Farm Press

Succession planning intersects finance, business and the human spirit. Using proven assessment tools to measure leadership behaviors can help channel emotions into constructive activities.

Tariffs and Trade

Japanese Leader Says Trade Deal 'Near,' Pledges Farm Policy Reform Agri-Pulse

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in an historic address to a joint meeting of Congress, assured lawmakers he was ready to remove protections for his country's farmers and was close to finalizing a trade deal with the United States. The U.S. demand that Japan end its stiff tariffs on rice and other agricultural commodities is one of the major hangups to concluding the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.