| As the 2025 Stoesser Scholarship recipient and a Florida resident, the Rice Market & Technology Convention provided a wonderful opportunity for Kayla Braggs to meet the Stoesser family in person and connect with members of the U.S. rice industry. "Attending the Rice Marketing and Technology Convention this past month was nothing short of amazing," Braggs said of her RMTC experience. "As a first-time attendee, I had no idea what to expect, and it was nothing short of surprises around every corner. From the production exhibition to the informational speaker sessions, the week provided a great mix of industry updates, with reconnecting with old and new friends. One of the high points was meeting the Stoesser Family. They were all so welcoming, and it made me even prouder to have been a scholarship recipient in memory of someone so instrumental in the US Rice Producers Association."  Left to right: Meredith Stoesser, Kayla Braggs, & Neal Stoesser. |
| Kayla is currently a second-year PhD student at the University of Florida studying Agriculture Communications. Her research focuses on producer-centered policy education and finding ways that practitioners and other stakeholders can work together to make better communication tools for agriculture policy. After graduation, she plans to move to Washington, D.C., to dive into the ag policy in policy communications/stakeholder engagement at a trade association or corporate company. "I also enjoyed getting a glimpse at how many countries U.S. rice impacts," she said. "Even with only six major producing states, it is without question the industry’s impact is exponential. If I was to give advice to someone interested in attending the conference for the first time, be prepared to come with open ears and be prepared to leave with an even greater appreciation for the growers, processors, millers, and marketers that propel the rice industry forward." On behalf of the U.S. Rice Producers Association and the Stoesser family, we extend our heartfelt thanks to Kayla for her kind words and for sharing her experience at the Rice Marketing and Technology Convention. It was a pleasure to have her join us, and we are incredibly proud to count her among the recipients of the Stoesser Memorial Scholarship. Her passion for agricultural communication and her commitment to advancing the industry’s future through research and policy are truly inspiring. We look forward to seeing the impact she will make in the years to come. |
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