Blog from Jessica Lundberg- Snow Geese at home in California Rice Fields

We had visitors to our office from the press yesterday to learn about upcoming tours through the Snow Goose Festival to local rice farms. The reporters and staff were from the New York Times and the local KIXE office and they were keen to learn more about how rice production for food was a helpful partner in providing habitat for waterfowl in California. This state has the largest percentage loss of historic wetlands in the nation and our rice fields now serve as ‘surrogate wetlands,’ helping millions of wildlife.

This media tour was designed to give the reporters a broad history of the landscape in Northern California which is now rice production, how the land uses have changed over the years and to talk about agricultural water policies. The farms selected were around the city of Chico – home of the Snow Goose Festival – and included Llano Seco (highlighting conservation easements), Rancho Esquon (featuring habitat restoration) and Lundberg Family Farms (pioneers of organic rice farming). The group was very pleased about their day, having seen impressive fields of geese, swans and other waterfowl.

My cousin, Bryce, and I were pleased to have the chance to talk with the group and talk about our farm. They were especially interested in changes that we might have seen in the industry in the last 30 years and how these changes have affected the efficiency, sustainability and biodiversity of the California rice industry; techniques of field leveling, variety development and management of straw through incorporation into the soil have affected many of these changes. We always enjoy the opportunity to dialog about farming of food and the amazing ecosystem we work in every day.

The 13th Annual Snow Goose Festival is January 26-29, 2012 and will feature over 70 fieldtrips, workshops and presentations along with many free activities and events. Check out their website for more information: www.snowgoosefestival.org.

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Jessica Lundberg chairs the Board of Directors of Lundberg Family Farms, the United States’ leading producer of organic rice and rice products. A member of the Lundberg family’s third generation, she also manages the seed nursery, overseeing the maintenance, purity and development of their proprietary rice varieties.


The Lundbergs have practiced sustainable farming techniques since 1937 and today the company leads the eco-positive agricultural movement with a commitment to organic production and renewable energy.


Jessica manages Lundberg Family Farms as a true family business, collaborating with her father, uncles, cousins, and siblings to reach consensus on key business decisions. A pre-med student in college, Jessica’s interest in business, ecology and agriculture inevitably drew her back to the farm, where, in addition to organic and eco-farmed rice, she cultivates the bedrock values of respecting the land, honoring tradition, and producing the highest quality products. Jessica holds a degree in Biological Sciences from California State University at Chico and a certificate in Plant Breeding from University of California at Davis. She makes her home in Chico near the family farm.