This week in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the Board of Directors of the US Rice Producers Association held their summer board meeting that included attendance in-person as well as virtually. After reports on each of the six rice states and a financial report, Vernie Hubert and Alice Gomez from Cornerstone Government Affairs updated farmers on a number of current issues on Capitol Hill and the USDA. Marcela Garcia and Grace Wang discussed the organization’s international programs while Mollie Buckler joined them in an evaluation of the successful Rice Market & Technology Convention recently held in Cancun, Mexico. Staff from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service participated in a good discussion with board members and complimented the USRPA on their progress and successes. The meeting ended with Mollie leading a discussion of the USRPA’s Farmer Exchange Program that educates young farmers on a number of challenges in the rice farming industry while conducting farm and facility visits in different states.
After the meeting concluded, the board members headed further into the Bootheel for a visit with Zack Tanner at Tanner Seed Company near Bernie, and a stop at the Missouri Rice Research Farm near Glennonville.