Nutrien backs sustainable rice agriculture with $1mn commitment

Nutrien has announced a $1 million commitment over four years to bolster sustainable agriculture among Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California rice growers. This funding supports the Rice Stewardship Partnership, a decade-old collaborative initiative with USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited.

Since its inception, the Rice Stewardship Program has engaged with over 1,000 rice farms, covering nearly one million acres, to enhance both agricultural output and environmental stewardship. “Our collaboration with Nutrien is a vital step towards achieving widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices among rice farmers,” said Scott Manley, Ducks Unlimited Director of Agriculture Support. The initiative emphasizes local community engagement to drive awareness and adoption of sustainable farming and conservation techniques.

The U.S. rice industry produces 20 billion pounds of rice annually and consumes 80% of its output domestically. The Rice Stewardship’s mission is to secure significant and lasting enhancements to the nation’s key natural and economic assets: working rice lands, water resources, and waterfowl populations.

Furthermore, USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited, along with the National Black Growers Council, have recently obtained an $80 million Climate-Smart Commodities grant to further support their efforts in vital rice production and waterfowl habitat areas.

Rice Stewardship funding sources include numerous influential organizations and foundations, underscoring a broad-based commitment to sustainable agricultural practices that promise to reshape the future of rice farming in the United States.