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United We Grow
According to the most recent statistics, some 805 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life.* Riceland is the largest miller and marketer of rice in the United States, so our family farmer owners feel a deep sense of responsibility to help address and draw attention to this critical issue. Our efforts begin right here at home. Learn more below.
GOOD FOR THE LAND

We care for both the rice and the land by utilizing the latest research and technology to assist growers with sustainable practices. And by putting care into everything we do, you get quality in everything we serve.*

GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY

With a co-op structure, our farmers are our owners. That means when you buy Riceland rice, you’re feeding more than just your family. You’re feeding more than 5,000 farmers and their families, too.*

GOOD FOR THE USA

Riceland is our land. Each grain is proudly grown in the rich soils of the United States. It’s then shipped to the heartland to be stored and milled at our locations in Missouri and Arkansas.*

GOOD FOR YOU

Riceland rice is anything but filler food. It’s Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten free, and a good source of many vitamins and minerals you need.*

RICELAND CARES ABOUT HUNGER INSECURITY

According to the most recent statistics, some 1.3 billion people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life.* Riceland is the largest miller and marketer of rice in the United States, so our family farmer-owners feel a deep sense of responsibility to help address and draw attention to this critical issue. Our efforts begin right here at home. Learn more below.

DID YOU KNOW?

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Nine in 10 Americans don’t eat enough whole grains. Eating one cup of cooked brown rice provides two of three recommended daily servings of whole grain
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Eating rice boosts diet quality, reduces body weight, and improves other markers for health.*
*Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2014

FOOD SECURITY
IN THE UNITED STATES

(in 2022)
Households with "low food security” have more severe problems, experiencing “deeper hunger and cutting back or skipping meals on a more frequent basis with both adults and children.*"
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In 2022 12.8% of households were food insecure. Equating to 44.2 million Americans living in food insecure households, 36.9 million adults and 7.3 million children.
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16.6% Arkansans, do not know where their next meal is coming from. In 2022 Arkansas led the nation in food insecurity.

134,690 Arkansas children are at risk for hunger.

People facing hunger in Arkansas are estimated to report needing $262,358,000 more per year to meet their food needs.
*Rabbitt, M.P., Hales, L.J., Burke, M.P., & Coleman-Jensen, A. (2023). Household food security in the United States in 2022 (Report No. ERR-325). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

THE RICELAND FOODS FOUNDATION

Cares For Communities

The Foundation is a regional philanthropic organization supported by Riceland Foods, a family farmer-owned cooperative serving rice farmers in Arkansas and Missouri.Riceland farmer-members individually support community activities and projects that are important to them. Each year the Riceland Foods Foundation provides a limited amount of grant funds to improve the quality of life in the farming communities of Riceland’s service area.

The Programs We Support

AGRICULTURE
National Ag in the Classroom, Arkansas FFA, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Field Day, local 4-H programs in various communities.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Rural development for local law enforcement and fire departments, regional medical facilities, small food pantries and rural school district support.
CONSERVATION
Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership
EDUCATION
Economics Arkansas
YOUTH
Boy Scouts of America and local community sports programs and parks and recreational programs.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie and Arts Center of the Grand Prairie
HUMAN SERVICES
Easter Seals Arkansas and Grand Prairie CASA
HOW TO
APPLY FOR A GRANT

GRANT ELIGIBILITY

To be considered for a Riceland Foods Foundation grant, the applicant must:

  • Be a publicly supported, private or non-profit organization having tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code,
  • Serve a documented need in the rice farming community,
  • Have a successful record of achievement, and
  • Complete a grant application form.

INELIGIBLE GRANT REQUESTS

Grants will not be awarded to:

  • Individuals or families regardless of need or projects to benefit specific individuals,
  • Projects or programs where a Riceland Foundation grant cannot make a significant contribution to success,
  • Churches, religious or political organizations, programs or projects, and
  • Groups conducting contests or pageants, selling meal or raffle tickets or similar fundraising activities.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Foundation awards a limited number of grants to new projects each year. The total value of grants awarded annually is a fraction of the total amount of funds requested through grant applications. Therefore, the Foundation must be extremely selective when considering grant requests.

Denial of grant requests should not be interpreted as a negative evaluation of an organization’s or project’s usefulness, impact or potential for success. By necessity, most funding requests are denied due to limited available funds.

The awarding of a Foundation grant for a specific project does not assure that grants for the project will be awarded in subsequent years.

SUBMITTED MATERIALS

All materials submitted as or with a grant request becomes property of the Foundation and will not be returned to the applicant. The Foundation reserves the right to change or terminate its grant application and approval process at any time.

NOTIFICATION

Grant applicants will be notified in writing regarding the decision of the Foundation board. Board decisions are considered final.

DEADLINES

The Riceland Foundation board of directors meets to consider grant requests annually in the summer. To be considered, completed grant application forms must be received no later than June 1. Requests not meeting the deadline may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

REFERENCES TO CONTRIBUTIONS

Any reference to grant contributions should be made to the Riceland Foods Foundation instead of Riceland Foods, Inc.

FOUNDATION CONTACTS

All inquiries and requests for grant application forms and completed forms should be directed to the Foundation administrative assistant at: Riceland Foods Foundation
Attn: Penni Madsen
P.O. Box 927
Stuttgart, AR 72160
Phone: 870-673-5354
Email: pamadsen@riceland.com

Apply for a Grant

RICELAND COOPERATIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

Our cooperative responsibility is the connection between our farmer-members who grow the crop and the consumers who enjoy our Riceland Rice products. Our goal is to continually improve the long-term sustainability of our farmers and the food supply.

SURVEY

Sustainable Practices by Riceland Farmer-Members
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BIODIVERSITY
97% utilize a rice soybean rotation to ensure soil health
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FERTILITY MANAGMENT
92% take soil samples to ensure the proper amount of nutrients are added to the soil.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
72% attend field days to learn about new production methods and research coming available.
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WATER CONSERVATION
68% use a soil and water conservation plan to maximize water quality and soil health.
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WATERFOWL HABITAT
85% roll rice stubble to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl.

IN-HOUSE

Sustainable Practices by Riceland Foods
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WATER CONSERVATION
More than 84,000,000 used gallons of water treated and sent back to local municipalities
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
1,002,600 servings of rice donated for hunger relief.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY
14% of total natural gas usage AND 17% of total electricity usage offset with cogeneration.
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WASTE MANAGEMENT
89% of rice byproduct waste diverted from landfills. 7,283 tons of solid waste recycled.
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
Over 30 years of educational opportunities provided to employees through Riceland’s Training and Education Center.
SUSTAINABLE
RESULTS
The Riceland Foods Foundation is a regional philanthropic organization plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term, satisfy the human food and fiber needs, and enhance environmental quality.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Riceland farmer-members are the men and women who plant the seed, nurture their crops and harvest the grain. They are independent decision makers who best understand the unique production characteristics of each field on their farms. Over the past 35 years, U.S. rice farmers have made tremendous strides to achieve success in reducing their impact on the environment. According to Field to Market’s 2016 National Indicators Report, (per hundred pounds of rice produced) U.S. rice farmers have:

  • Increased Land Use Efficiency by 39%
  • Decreased Water Use by 52%
  • Decreased Energy Use by 34%
  • Decreased Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 41%
  • Decreased Soil Loss by 28%
CREATING WILDLIFE HABITAT

Each year, millions of waterfowl migrate South in search of new food and resting grounds. The Mississippi Flyway, the largest and most used flyway in North America, follows the Mississippi River South and goes straight through the heart of Riceland’s footprint. Because harvested rice fields provide the perfect environment for migrating waterfowl, Riceland farmers flood their fields to provide habitat and food for the millions of birds traveling through.

With rice playing such a vital role in the wellbeing of ducks and other migratory birds, the USA Rice Federation and Ducks Unlimited partnered together to create the Rice Stewardship Partnership to work with both public and private sectors in order to ensure the future of working rice lands. Since its inception in 2014, Riceland has been a proud supporter of the Rice Stewardship Partnership and continues to support rice farmers on their conservation journey.

COGENERATION

Before rice can be consumed, we remove the outer husk of each kernel. By burning those rice hulls in our co-generation facility, we have replaced more than 17 percent of our electricity and about 14 percent of our natural gas with renewable energy.

RICELAND FAMILY

The Riceland family includes more than 1,500 employees who receive, dry, store, transport, process, package and market rice across the United States and to more than 50 foreign destinations. The Riceland Training and Education Center offers professional development and enhanced job skills to employees.

OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Arkansas Food BankICCM FoodbankSoutheast Missouri Food BankFood bank of Northeast ArkansasArkansas Hunger Relief AllianceFeeding AmericaDucks UnlimitedThe Frank and Barbara Broyles FoundationArkansas Children's hospitals research foundationThe Arkansas Game & Fish FoundationCASA for children