Centennial Celebration for Farmers Rice Mill

By Kane Webb, USA Rice


LAKE CHARLES, LA -- The 100th anniversary celebration for Farmers Rice Milling Company was held Wednesday at the newly expanded packaging and distribution facility here.  More than 450 people attended the event including employees, partners, producers, customers, and local dignitaries.

A ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the newly completed 55,000-square-foot expansion at the facility kicked off the celebration.  Next, Nanette Noland, Farmers Rice Milling Company president, welcomed guests and presented the company history before recognizing long-time employees with 20+ years of service.  "This 100 years has been possible because of all of your hard work, sacrifices, and dedication to not only your own families, but to ours as well," said Noland.

The company's $13.4-million expansion began back in 2013 to modernize the rice mill and boost processing speed and volume, allowing the mill to be more competitive and tap into new markets throughout the world.

"Farmers Rice Milling Company has a long history of buying rice from Louisiana farmers, which is the heart and soul of our business," said Ann Stone, CEO of Farmers Rice Mill.  "We are looking forward to continuing our tradition of innovation, quality, and excellence for the next 100 years."

Farmers Rice Milling processes and mills rough rice at the Lake Charles facility, and then packages and distributes clean rice to customers from the site.  The mill sells rice to national and international customers as far away as Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, and has the capacity to process more than 800 million pounds of rice per year.

"A hundred years in business is significant and means Farmers Rice Milling Company has established a reputation for quality and fairness for Louisiana rice farmers," said local producer Jackie Loewer, who attended the celebration.  "They are a vital part of the rice industry in this area."

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Create awareness and promote U.S.-grown rice, National Rice Month, and the importance of rice to your state via video — and earn scholarship money in the process.

Three scholarship prizes, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, totaling $8,500 will be awarded.  The grand-prize winner will receive a $4,000 scholarship and a trip with a chaperone this December to the awards ceremony at the 2017 USA Rice Outlook Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  The second-place winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship, and third-place $1,500

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Entries must be received by October 31, 2017.  Winners will be notified by November 20, 2017.

Rice industry donation to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank

Farmer Richard Fontenot, at the podium, flanked by Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry commissioner, and Michael Manning of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

  

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana rice growers wrapped up the month-long celebration of National Rice Month by donating a truckload of rice to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank (GBRFB).   Representatives of the state's rice industry gathered on the steps of the state capital building to present the donation, in conjunction with National Hunger Awareness Month. 

 Richard Fontenot, a rice grower from Evangeline parish and a vice president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, discussed the importance of rice, and the rice industry, for Louisiana's economy and its impact on conservation by providing critical wetland habitat throughout the state.  Fontenot expressed thanks and appreciation to Louisiana Rice Mill, Falcon Rice Mill, and Farmers Rice Mill for providing the rice.

 He said the 10,000-pound donation would provide 150,000 servings.

 "The rice donated today will help provide nutritious and well-balanced meals for thousands of families in need in our community," said Michael Manning, the Food Bank’s president.

 Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain read Gov. John Bel Edward's proclamation declaring September National Rice Month. "Through this donation, the Louisiana rice industry is making a generous contribution to society by providing a safe and nutritious food source to our citizens in need."  He encouraged all citizens to continue in their support of "one of the state's oldest and most valuable agricultural industries."