The Rice Stuff

How has the digital revolution changed the way we shop? Hosts Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon explore shifts in consumer behavior, from online grocery orders to AI-powered shopping assistants. E-commerce marketing expert Eric Martindale joins to discuss the future of retail, how brands can thrive in this space, and why digital shelf space is the new battleground. Plus, listener mail proves people a...

How is AI transforming the food industry? Hosts Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon talk with Andreas Duess, CEO of 6 Seeds Consulting, about AI-driven data, virtual consumer panels, and predicting food trends. From the impact of Ozempic on grocery shopping to the viral rise of air fryers, this conversation reveals how AI can be a powerful business tool—when used correctly. Tune in to explore the futur...

What's changed the most in rice farming over the past 50 years? Four life-long farmers from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and California discuss the game-changing innovations that have revolutionized everything from planting and harvesting to nitrogen use, marketing, and tractor tech. From GPS-guided combines to the rise of semi-dwarf rice varieties, hear how technology and research powered dramatic...

Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice's vice president of domestic promotion, makes his 2025 debut on The Rice Stuff to discuss rice's role in U.S. nutrition policy, the process of updating the government's dietary guidelines every five years, and how USA Rice advocates for rice to be recognized and recommended as an important part of a balanced and healthy diet. And what does "healthy" mean, by the way? What...

Before Members of Congress could leave Washington at the end of 2024, there was a lot of business to attend to that directly impacted the rice industry (and the entire country). USA Rice's Jamison Cruce recounts the "mad dash" to the end that resulted in economic assistance for farmers, disaster aid, a Continuing Resolution, and another Farm Bill extension. That, plus how hard is yoga and how bad...

A highlight of the USA Rice Outlook Conference is meeting the many award winners who are celebrated throughout the event. In this episode, Michael and Lesley chat about the 2024 USA Rice Outlook Conference and in particular, Lesley's interview with the National Rice Month Video Scholarship winner, Helen Lan. Meet a rising young star so you can say, "I've known about Helen for years!" Check out Hel...

Lesley finally made it to International Rice Festival, and she recaps her whirlwind experience at one of Louisiana's biggest and longest-running celebrations of agriculture. Hearing her interviews with participants, organizers, and competition winners is the next best thing to attending the fest yourself--but really, you should attend the fest yourself. With special guests: Robbie Trahan, Falcon R...

Michael and Lesley explore brand creation, marketing, and loyalty with two USA Rice members who are blazing a path for their rice. Pam West of Texas Rice Milling, whose new Honestly Texas Rice brand is winning hearts and minds in Texas joins Sam Schneider whose Inland Cape Rice is celebrating two years in markets all over the midwest and elsewhere. From how to name brands to reaching consumers and...

In this episode of The Rice Stuff, hosts Michael and Lesley revisit a 2022 discussion on the importance of university extension programs to the rice industry. Dr. Steve Linscombe sits down with his colleagues Dr. Jarrod Hardke, Dr. Ronnie Levy, and Dr. Bruce Linquist to talk about the contributions of researchers in improving various aspects of rice farming. With special guests: Dr. Jarrod Hardke,...

In this landmark 100th episode of the podcast, hosts Lesley and Michael reflect on their podcasting journey, the many guests they've talked with, and gloat a little over all the world class TV shows that never made it to 100 episodes. Arkansas rice farmer and The Rice Stuff Instigator Jennifer James stops by to share her thoughts, and then the talk turns to the USA Rice Outlook Conference with a p...

Time to talk trade. Michael and Lesley are joined by USA Rice's new(ish) Director of Trade Policy Karah Janevicius to talk global markets and trade policy. From India and the ITC to the tariffs and the WTO, Karah breaks down the complex issues that are so important to the rice industry. Plus, she shares her origin story and the gang talks about Nutella, Fluff, Mexican water, and for some reason, A...

Lesley shares details of her recent trip to the 2024 California Rice Field Day at the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs, including exploring different rice varieties and her surprise at the current research being done into Alternate Wetting and Drying - a practice associated mostly with the mid-South. She and Michael discuss her interviews with researcher Telha Rehman and farmer Matt Dedmond, and t...

Cooking classes, popular for many years, have seen a renaissance of late, likely a result of the pandemic lockdowns making people realize a) how much they enjoy cooking, and b) how much they don't know about cooking. USA Rice's celebrated celebrity chef and consultant Hari Cameron, fresh off his appearance on "Beat Bobby Flay," hosted a Rice Cooking Class at his demonstration kitchen in Rehoboth B...

USA Rice's Asiha Grigsby is just back from three weeks on the road for the industry, home for a few days, and then off again to talk U.S.-grown rice. We were able to snag a few minutes between trips with Rice's Western Hemisphere Road Warrior to hear about her work promoting U.S. rice and how she fosters vital relationships with importers. With special guest: Ashia "Rice Lord" Grigsby, Senior Dire...

The U.S. rice industry keeps leadership fresh with regular rotations. At the 2024 USA Rice summer business meetings, Chair and Mississippi rice farmer Kirk Satterfield passed the gavel to Arkansas miller Keith Glover. And on the milling side of the house, Louisiana's Meryl Kennedy passed the Rice Millers' Association leadership to California's Rick Rhody. We did exit interviews with Meryl and Kirk...

Summer means field days and food shows. Lesley talks briefly about the Eagle Lake, TX Field Day, while Michael brought back interviews and samples from the Specialty Food Association's 68th Annual Fancy Food Show that featured lots of U.S.-grown rice. He talked rice with people from Fancypants Baking Company, Olivia's Croutons, Hillside Lane Farms, the Dutch Waffle Company, and some innovators who...

Dr. Steve Linscombe reports on the 2024 International Temperate Rice Conference he organized that brought researchers from around the world to New Orleans. Then Michael and Lesley talk with Jamison Cruce about the status of the 2024 Farm Bill, and round out the show with an exit interview of USA Rice intern Caroline Hardy, heading back to LSU to finish law school. Plus Michael unveils the new pod...

Michael and Lesley explore some non-table uses of rice from pet food to panko and from snacks to sake. They are joined by Rick Rhody and Rodrigo Batista from Farmers' Rice Cooperative and Exceedient Foods; farmer and marketing expert Ali Cox of Noble West; and Dallas Anthony and Robert Smith from Stabil Nutrition. They talk about the bright future for rice, the dark secret of what's in the trunk o...

USDA's MyPlate program is a vital public health program designed to help Americans eat healthy, balanced diets. Strategic Partners, like USA Rice, amplify important nutrition messages. USDA's Dr. Caree Cartwright and Yetunde Akingbemi join Michael, Lesley, and Cameron to talk new nutrition education. Also, does anyone remember Time for Timer? With special guests: Dr. Caree Cotwright, Director of N...

In this episode, hosts Michael Klein, Lesley Dixon, and Dr. Steve Linscombe delve into rice farming in South Carolina, from the 1700s to today. They cover rice's role in shaping the character of the American South, the unique requirements of farming rice in an east coast tidal region, and the recent resurgence of Carolina Gold. Guests from White House Farms, Clemson University, and the University...

High performing people & organizations often don't celebrate their victories before tackling the next project. We take a breath for this episode to focus on important successes in the industry that benefit us all. First, Adam Shea of Riceland Foods is back, and he's brought Austin Brown to talk about their Carbon Ready Program that is saving water, reducing GHGs, and putting money in farmers' pock...

Latin America is an important destination for U.S.-grown rice, but consumers there have different expectations for their rice than U.S. consumers. In this episode, Michael & Lesley talk about this with Sarah Moran, Chief Operating Officer at USA Rice. Meanwhile, Asiha Grigsby sat down with Kamal Dieck, President of FECARROZ, the Central American Rice Federation. Then LSU rice breeder Dr. Adam Famo...

The Rice Stuff's most prolific recurring guest, Cameron Jacobs, tells Michael and Lesley all about his adventures at the American Craft Sake Fest in Hot Springs, AR. Turns out, sake brewed with U.S.-grown rice pairs well with almost everything. Plus: sumo wrestlers! With special guests: Weston Konishi, President, Sake Brewers Association of North America and Ben Bell, VP, Origami Sake Hosted by: M...

Humans aren't the only creatures who love to eat rice, which is why the work of entomologists like Dr. Blake Wilson of the LSU Ag Center and Dr. Lina Bernaola of Texas A&M Agrilife Research is so important. In this episode, USA Rice's Dr. Steve Linscombe sits down with these two experts to discuss unwelcome guests in rice fields, from stink bugs to snails, and what can be done about them. With spe...

Members of the Specialty Food Association (SFA) create high-end foods and drinks. Rice is often found as an ingredient, but why not take the spotlight? Michael went to SFA's Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas last month to ask this question and sample fancy food. He's back to talk about his observations with Lesley and share an interview with California rice farmers (and show exhibitors) Tom and Carter...