New blog post from Tom Butler: Back from Mississippi

I’m just back in the office after spending the last few days in Biloxi, Mississippi at the USA Rice Outlook Conference. This conference, open to anyone who is involved in the rice industry, is held yearly in one of the six states that provide nearly all of the rice grown in America. It is a time to meet with colleagues and old friends to share stories about the past year, for Federation committees to old their quarterly meetings, and to cover the issues facing our industry as a whole.

"Sustainability" was easily one of the top three words I kept hearing throughout the conference. Certainly a popular buzzword around all agricultural circles, it is an issue that is rapidly emerging among the most pressing in our industry. I heard a great report given by Jennifer James of the USA Rice Federation, who has spent a great deal of time trying to tackle the parameters and even the definition of sustainable rice farming for everyone. As you can imagine, the definition of sustainability varies so much that you could ask 13 people you met on the street what they thought it meant, and you could expect 13 different definitions. Being from an industry that prides itself on conservation, frugal water use, and giving back to the habitat and area we live, I feel confident that our message fits well with anyone's definition of sustainability.

As my week ended with the alumni dinner for current and past Rice Leadership class members, we got to welcome in the class of 2011. I've talked in the past what an outstanding program Rice Leadership is, and I was proud to see two more California guys make it into this select class this year. I know that they will enjoy the program as much as I have, and look forward to hearing about their experiences as well.

All in all, it was a great way to get away from the rainy season of the Sacramento Valley for a week.

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More about Tom: Tom Butler farms rice with his father, Steve, in Sutter and Yolo Counties. Tom is the fourth generation of his family to farm.

When he’s not on the job, the University of Nebraska graduate enjoys swimming, water polo, hunting and spending time with his family.