A: The USDA Economic Research Service collected data from USDA-accredited State and private certification groups to calculate the extent of certified organic farmland acreage and livestock in the United States.
For more information and to download data.
A: The USDA Agency Reports website provides links to many reports about agriculture production, progress, outlook and supply and demand and in the U.S. and around the world.
For more information and to download reports, visit the USDA Agency Reports web page at:
More specifically, the USDA’s Economic Research Service also publishes the Rice Outlook. The Rice Outlook Examines supply, use, prices, and trade for rice, including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. It contains information on U.S. rough, milled, and long-, medium-, and short-grain rice.
For more information and to download available reports.
A: Is rice nutritious? It sure is! This important carbohydrate is the staple food for more than two-thirds of the world’s population. Rice is a good source of thiamin, niacin, phosphorus, iron, potassium and folic acid. Also, rice is healthful for what it does not contain – rice has no fat, cholestorol and is sodium free! Rice is also non-allergenic and gluten free!
For more information and to see the Nutritional Value chart, please see the article below.
NUTRITIOUS RICE
AN IMPORTANT COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATE
BROWN RICE VS. WHITE RICE
RICE BRAN AND RICE BRAN OIL
RICE IS NON-ALLERGENIC
HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIETS
NUTRITIONAL VALUES OF RICE
Nutritious? It sure is! This important carbohydrate is the staple food for more than two-thirds of the world’s population. Rice is a good source of thiamin, niacin, phosphorous, iron, potassium and folic acid. And, rice is healthful for what it does not contain. Rice has no fat, no cholesterol and is sodium free. Rice is also non-allergenic.
Rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates, which is an important source of the fuel our bodies need. Health experts recommend the largest portion of our diet should come from complex carbohydrates such as rice, bread, cereal and pasta. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid illustrates a well balanced diet, for the day: 2 to 3 servings from dairy, 2 to 3 servings from protein, 3 to 5 servings from vegetables, 2 to 4 servings from fruit and 6 to 11 servings from the rice, bread and cereal group. But if 6 to 11 servings sounds like a lot, it really isn’t. One serving of rice is only 1/2 cup, and serving of bread is only one slice.
Carbohydrates fuel the body. There are two kinds of carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates (sugars like sucrose and fructose) and complex carbohydrates (starches). Rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates, the best source of fuel for the body. Complex carbohydrates consist of starches and dietary fiber. While simple carbohydrates digest quickly providing a fast, short burst of energy, complex carbohydrates digest more slowly and provide a more even, steady source of energy.
White rice is just as nutritious as brown rice. While brown rice does have slightly more fiber, Vitamin E, phosphorus and calcium than white rice, most of the white rice sold in the United States is enriched . This enrichment in white rice actually provides more iron and thiamin than brown rice. All rice, white and brown, is now enriched with folic acid.
Rice bran is the outer layer of brown rice. When brown rice is milled, two products emerge. One is white rice and the other is rice bran. Rice bran is a slightly sweet, nutty tasting product. It is high in fiber, vitamins and nutrients. Rice bran is used as an ingredient in baking mixes, cereals and vitamin concentrates, and, it can be added to recipes.
Rice bran also contains a high concentration of oil which is often extracted for a variety of uses. Rice bran oil is a high-quality cooking oil and can be used in the same way as other cooking oils. Rice bran oil is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Studies have shown rice bran oil to be effective in lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.
Rice is easy to digest and it is non-allergenic. And, rice contains no gluten. These attributes are a plus for infants and the elderly, as well as, people with a sensitivity to gluten, the protein found in wheat. Celiac Sprue Disease is a digestive malabsorption problem. It is treated with the total omission of any product that contains the protein gluten. Gluten is found in foods made from wheat, barely, rye and oats and oftentimes millet and buckwheat. In addition to white and brown rice grains, rice also comes in many forms including flours and meal. There are also many special rice based bread and cereal products on the market.
There has been a lot of low carbohydrate diets being popularized with the promises of fast and easy weight loss. Diets like “Sugar Busters!”, “Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution”, “Dr. Stillman’s Quick Weight Loss Diet”, “Protein Power”, etc. promote that carbohydrates are bad. No food is bad. And no one food or group of foods has the “magic cure” for weight loss.
In fact, many health professionals, including the American Dietetics Association, condemn these high protein diets as a nutritional “nightmare”. Too much protein can lead to calcium loss from bones. Too much protein can also stress the kidneys. Other side-effects from these high protein diets includes bad breath, constipation, dehydration, fatigue and lightheadedness.
These diets may work in the short term for dropping a few pounds, but they don’t teach healthy eating habits. and they are hard to stick with. In due time, the dieter will grow tired of the fad diet and slip back into poor habits. In order to maintain a healthy weight and a healthful lifestyle, our bodies need exercise and a variety of nutrients that come from eating a variety of foods.
The “secret” to losing weight and maintaining a healthful diet remains the same. Cut back on the calories, increase physical activity and eat a diet that includes a variety of complex carbohydrates including rice, fruits and vegetables.
The information for this table was taken from the Composition of Foods, Agricultural Handbook No. 8-20, Agricultural Research Service, USDA (Revised 12/91).
Data for cooked rice was based on results of yield test study conducted by USA Rice Council, 1991.
** Values for iron, thiamine, niacin and folate are based on the minimum levels of enrichment specified by the U.S. Government.
*** Varies with sodium content of water and the addition of salt in cooking.
A: Information is available through the extension agencies in each state. The LSU Ag Center and the AgriLIFE Research and Extension Center in Beaumont are both great resources. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please do not hesitate to call our office. Our contact information can be found on the “About Us” page or in the footer at the bottom of this page.
A: If you would like to receive some information or promotional materials from the US Rice Producers Association, then please fill out the form on the “Contact Us” page of the website.
A: Rice hulls are generated by the milling of rice and thus are usually located and sold at rice mills. As this is a mill byproduct, the hulls must be removed or disposed of on a regular basis. Mills usually have contracts with different organizations for this (including animal feed and bedding companies) but can sometimes provide small volumes on a first-come-first-serve basis. In order to determine availability in your area, please contact the nearest rice mill to your location. A list of mills can be located by visiting industry trade association websites.
A: There are four distinct steps to exporting rice. The first step to exporting rice is to determine EXACTLY what and HOW MUCH you intend to export, whether you are functioning as an agent or a broker. In the U.S., the standard rice unit is traded as a U.S. grade 2. In order to determine what your rice equivalent grade is please visit the USDA website and compare their grades to your needs to determine which type is right for you. Most suppliers will not provide an export quote unless you have established what you are looking for in domestic units. Once you have established the type and quantity you must then determine your method of payment and locate a supplier. Methods of payment vary widely, but the most commonly used is a Letter of Credit. Letters of Credit are issued by banks specializing in international trade and are acceptable to most suppliers. In order to locate the required volume and after having determined your method of payment, you should search the supplier directories that can be found on industry trade association websites and contact their offices. Very rarely do producers actually contract directly with exporters. After locating a supplier that is willing and able to meet your needs as an exporter the remaining step requires you to then arrange transportation from the delivery point to your point of departure, ensure that all of the sanitary/phytosanitary requirements for your country of destination are met, ensure that all proper documentation is accounted for in order for the shipment to leave the country, and must also arrange international transportation for the product.
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