As time and circumstances permit, we at the Rice Commission provide tours to media, Legislators and other decision makers interested in viewing rice country firsthand.
It never fails that when I assist with a tour that I glean some new information. Seeing the rice fields through the perspective of our guests provides renewed respect for this crop and the people that grow and mill it.
The latest tour involved Elizabeth Shelton, Senior Legislative Assistant with Congressman John Garamendi. Our visit to the Farmers’ Rice Cooperative Mill in West Sacramento brought home the level of automation and sophistication found in California rice. Seeing robotic machinery in action is a pretty cool experience. It was also interesting to see the international nature of the business, as a substantial order to South Korea was being milled during our visit.
Next stop was DeWit Farms in Elverta, where the fields were full of wildlife. Our tour guide, grower Mike DeWit, navigated us next to the fields with his ATV.
We saw hundreds if not thousands of birds. Dunlins, Black-necked Stilts, Snow Geese, Harriers and Ducks to name a few. Both Liz and I learned that rice growers have winter water levels at different depths depending on the bird species they are helping.
Our goodbyes included some welcome attention to Mike’s Labrador Retrievers, including Holly, who is as sweet as she looks.
As Elizabeth departed back to Washington, D.C., my hope was that she will remember her brief trip to rice country and her visit with the people that make it happen.
Jim Morris is Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission. Jim has worked in communications for more than 20 years. When he’s not on the job, he enjoys his family, faith, football, outrageous monster stories and running marathons.
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