#35 2021 Rice Award Winners

#35 2021 Rice Award Winners

Author: USA Rice December 14, 2021 Duration: 1:05:38

We celebrate excellence with Josefine Sedler, the Grand Prize Winner of the National Rice Month Video Scholarship Contest, sponsored by American Commodity Company. We talk with the winners of the Rice Awards presented at the 2021 USA Rice Outlook Conference by Rice Farming Magazine, Horizon Ag, and USA Rice: Rice Farmer of the Year, Nicole Montna Van Vleck; Rice Industry Award winner Dr. Qiming Shao; and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Dr. Kent McKenzie.

See Josefine's video

Hosted by:

Michael Klein and Lesley Dixon


Digging into the complex and surprisingly fascinating world of a single grain, The Rice Stuff is a conversation about more than just agriculture. Hosts Michael and Lesley serve as guides, pulling back the curtain on the entire journey of U.S.-grown rice, from the soil in the fields to its place on global tables. They achieve this by stepping aside to let the real experts speak: the farmers making daily decisions under the sun, the scientists in labs developing resilient varieties, the millers ensuring quality, and the marketers navigating international trade. Each episode of this podcast feels like a field visit or a behind-the-scenes meeting, uncovering narratives that intersect science, business, and environmental stewardship. You’ll hear about tangible conservation efforts that protect water and land, the economic strategies that connect American farms to overseas markets, and the technological innovations quietly transforming a traditional industry. It’s a detailed portrait of a staple food, revealing the dedication and ingenuity embedded in every bag. While those within the agriculture sector will find deep, relevant insights, the stories are told with a clarity that welcomes anyone curious about where their food comes from and the intricate systems that produce it. Tune in for genuine conversations that go beyond the surface, offering a new appreciation for the people and processes behind U.S. rice.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Rice Stuff
Podcast Episodes
#113 The Science and Secrets of Rice Seed Production [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:38
Retired rice breeder extraordinaire Steve Linscombe talks with Randy Ouzts from Nutrien, Tim Walker of HorizonAg, and Brian Ottis of RiceTec about the challenges of seed production, breeding methods, hybrid vs. pure line…
#112 Rice, Resilience, Representation, and Research Mentors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:00
Dr. Angelia Seyfferth, Professor of Biogeochemistry and Plant-Soil Interactions, shares her journey from humble beginnings to having a lab with her name on it at one of the most prestigious research universities in the c…
#111 The Federal Reserve Banking System and Rice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:22
What, how, and why does the Federal Reserve do what it does? Hosts Michael Klein and Deborah Willenborg dive into a lively, humorous, and insightful conversation with Matuschka Lindo Briggs of the Little Rock branch of t…
#110 The ROI of Rice Checkoff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:05
The check off program is at times controversial, but do growers who pay into the program (and even those who don't) receive a good value for what they contribute? In this episode, Michael talks with Dr. Lanier Nalley, pr…
#109 E-commerce Evolution and the Future of Retail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:48
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…
#108 AI on the Menu: Reshaping the Food Industry With Andreas Duess [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:25
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 impac…
#107 A Rice Retrospective [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:01
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 planti…
#106 New Year, New Dietary Guidelines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
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 f…
#105 A Flurry of End of Year Activity in Congress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:24
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…
#104 2024 National Rice Month Scholarship Video Contest Winner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:43
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 particu…