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In This Issue:
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Market Update: U.S. Rice Market Continues Firming Trend
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Rice Market & Technology Convention (RMTC): Exhibitor & Sponsorship Opportunities Coming Soon
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Domestic News: Puerto Rico’s Vital Role in U.S. Rice Variety Development
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International News: Keeping U.S. Rice at the Forefront
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Ray Stoesser Memorial Scholarship: Applications Open September 1
- Video from Rice Country
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| U.S. Rice Market Continues Firming Trend | |
| This isn’t physics, but in this rice market it seems that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. A case in point is an enormous carryover, very nearly offset by the substantial acres we did not plant. Long grain stocks on August 1 stood at 38.2 million cwt, call it 500,000 acres sitting in the bin — and that is the wet blanket over any bid on new crop. Yet new crop itself is down roughly 700,000 acres from the ten-year average. The market thus far has priced in an even year despite the massive reduction, though between El Niño and the short crop, a firmness is building in sentiment. As one rice miller mentioned a couple of weeks ago, U.S. rice mills will be sweeping the floors looking for rice in 2027. | |
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Last week we examined how El Niño is pressuring the Far East and Middle East rice complex, which we expect will translate into higher prices for us here in the West. One of our biggest obstacles, as an export-driven crop, remains the dollar, and specifically, where it is strong. The rupee has fallen to 95.70 from roughly 87.50 a year ago, an all-time low that hands India a standing discount on every ton it ships. Rising export prices do not necessarily put those dollars on the ground here.
In the field, the combines are ahead of schedule, and the crop behind them is slipping. Harvest across the six reporting states reached 27% by August 23, against 20% last week, 24% a year ago, and a five-year average of 21%. Louisiana is at 83% cut, Texas at 69%, while Arkansas has jumped to 16% from 7%. Rice Condition, however, eased for a second straight week to 68% (good to excellent from 70%, with Mississippi at 45% and Texas at 52% dragging the average down.
The USDA Export Sales report shows net sales of 20,000 MT this week. Exports of 77,500 MT were primarily to Colombia (36,400 MT), Japan (13,000 MT), and Haiti(7,100 MT).
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| Rice Market & Technology Convention | Exhibitor & Sponsorship Opportunities Coming Soon | |
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Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities for RMTC 2027 will be available beginning September 14. As a valued past sponsor or exhibitor, you will have an opportunity to secure your participation early and continue being part of this premier gathering of the rice industry.
Past sponsors and exhibitors are encouraged to act quickly, as space and sponsorship opportunities are expected to fill fast. Watch for the information on September 14 and be among the first to reserve your sponsorship or exhibit space for RMTC 2027 in Puerto Rico, June 8–10.
| | Puerto Rico’s Vital Role in U.S. Rice Variety Development | |
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As part of preparations for the 2027 Rice Market & Technology Convention (RMTC), Iris Figueroa, President and CEO of the U.S. Rice Producers Association (USRPA), traveled to San Juan and Lajas, Puerto Rico, to plan for the international event and strengthen relationships with Puerto Rico’s agricultural, research, and business communities.
The 2027 RMTC will be held June 8–10 at the Hotel Sheraton Convention Center, bringing together rice producers, millers, exporters, researchers, seed companies, technology providers, and industry leaders from around the world.
During her visit, Figueroa toured the Winter Nursery Program at the University of Puerto Rico’s Agricultural Experiment Station in Lajas, gaining firsthand insight into a critical but often overlooked component of U.S. rice variety development.
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Established in 1972, the Lajas Winter Nursery enables public breeding programs to advance rice generations during the U.S. winter, accelerating selection, evaluation, and seed increase. The program supports research institutions including Louisiana State University, Texas A&M University, the University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, and USDA-ARS, with more than 40,000 research lines planted annually.
Lajas is also home to significant private-sector rice research. Figueroa visited RiceTec’s operations, where she met with Agro. Sol Rosado-Arroyo, M.Sc., Site Manager, and learned more about the company’s research and seed-development activities in Puerto Rico. Horizon Ag and Nutrien also conduct rice research in the area, creating a unique concentration of public and private-sector expertise.
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The visit also reinforced Puerto Rico’s broader connection to the U.S. rice industry. While rice is not commercially produced on the island on the scale of the major rice-producing states, Lajas plays an important role in the research, breeding, and seed-development pipeline that supports U.S. rice production.
For USRPA, bringing RMTC to Puerto Rico provides an opportunity to showcase this often-overlooked connection while bringing the global rice community together in San Juan.
“Lajas is an important piece of the U.S. rice story,” Figueroa said. “Our producers depend on years of research, innovation, and genetic advancement before a variety ever reaches their fields. Understanding where that process begins, and the people and institutions behind it, is essential to understanding how we can best support our producers.”
As preparations continue for RMTC 2027, USRPA looks forward to welcoming the international rice community to Puerto Rico and highlighting the island’s unique contribution to the future of U.S. rice.
| | Iris Figueroa and Agro. Sol Rosado-Arroyo, M.Sc., RiceTec’s Site Manager in Puerto Rico | |
| | Keeping U.S. Rice at the Forefront | |
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Our international programs continue at full swing across both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, strengthening relationships, expanding market opportunities, and promoting the quality and reliability of U.S. rice around the world.
We remain committed to making U.S. rice the preferred choice in international markets by connecting producers with buyers, understanding the needs of our customers, and creating opportunities that benefit the entire U.S. rice industry.
Follow us on social media to stay up to date on our international programs, upcoming activities, market opportunities, and the people helping promote U.S. rice around the world.
| | The Ray Stoesser Memorial Scholarship | | |
The Ray Stoesser Memorial Scholarship will open for applications on September 1, 2026, with applications accepted through December 4, 2026.
Know a student who may qualify? Help us spread the word and share this opportunity with students pursuing education and careers connected to agriculture and the rice industry.
| | From the fields to the harvest and everything in between, we want to see what rice country looks like to you! Share your favorite rice country photos or videos and help us celebrate the people, places, and stories that make our industry special. | | |
Click on the picture and check out this TikTok at Stoesser's "SETX Rice Crop ‘26"
Send us your rice country photos by email, or via Facebook or Instagram!
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September 10 - 11, 2026: Katy Rice Festival, Katy, TX
More Information
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September 30 - October 3, 2026: Texas Rice Festival, Winnie, TX
More Information
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February 18 & 19, 2027: 30th Annual Cotton & Rice Conference, Jonesboro, AR
More Information
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June 8 - 10, 2027: Rice Market & Technology Convention, Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino, San Juan, PR
More details to come
| | Industry Resources & Updates | | |
We Value Your Input!
Send us updates, photos, questions, or comments!
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USRPA does not discriminate in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, or marital/family status. Persons who require alternative means for communication of information (such as Braille, large print, sign language interpreter or translation) should contact USRPA at 713-974-7423. |
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