Arkansas Rice Farmers Turn Out in Force to Defeat Assessment Bill
03/10/09 10:22 PM Filed in: Legislative
LITTLE
ROCK — State rice farmers expressed their
appreciation today for the Senate Agriculture
Committee’s vote to not advance a bill that would
have doubled checkoff assessments for Arkansas rice
farmers.
“The overwhelming majority of Arkansas rice farmers were united in opposition to this bill, and we thank the committee for making a decision in the farmer’s best interest,” said Dow Brantley, a rice farmer from England, AR. Brantley was one of more than 150 rice farmers who went to the Capitol today to oppose Senate Bill 349. This wasn’t a bill about choice, as proponents claimed, he said.
“This was an attempt to divert Arkansas promotion money to an association that represents a minority of the U.S. rice industry,” Brantley said. “It also tried to legislate a guarantee that group would get funding every year, whereas now, the state-authorized Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board annually decides where to award funds based on program performance and accountability.” Arkansas promotion money currently funds the USA Rice Council (USARC), which conducts domestic and international market development programs. California and Louisiana, the nation’s second and third largest rice-producing states, also allocate promotion funding to the USARC.
Arkansas holds 20 of the 33 farmer seats on the USARC board, said Joe Mencer, a rice farmer from Lake Village, AR, and a USARC vice chairman.
“We have a duly elected 30-member Arkansas Rice Council Board of Directors and by far the largest farmer delegation on the national promotion board,” Mencer said. “There’s a strong process for program development, budget oversight and accountability — and we have successful programs operating in the United States and around the world.”
All rice farmers in Arkansas receive an annual report from the USA Rice Federation on rice promotion program accomplishments and spending, and detailed financial statements are also available to farmers who attend meetings or request them.
Brantley and Mencer encouraged all Arkansas rice farmers to get involved in their state rice organizations, the Arkansas Rice Council and Arkansas Rice Producers’ Group.
Contact: Ben Noble, Benjamin.Noble@troutmansanders.com, (501) 372-4122
“The overwhelming majority of Arkansas rice farmers were united in opposition to this bill, and we thank the committee for making a decision in the farmer’s best interest,” said Dow Brantley, a rice farmer from England, AR. Brantley was one of more than 150 rice farmers who went to the Capitol today to oppose Senate Bill 349. This wasn’t a bill about choice, as proponents claimed, he said.
“This was an attempt to divert Arkansas promotion money to an association that represents a minority of the U.S. rice industry,” Brantley said. “It also tried to legislate a guarantee that group would get funding every year, whereas now, the state-authorized Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board annually decides where to award funds based on program performance and accountability.” Arkansas promotion money currently funds the USA Rice Council (USARC), which conducts domestic and international market development programs. California and Louisiana, the nation’s second and third largest rice-producing states, also allocate promotion funding to the USARC.
Arkansas holds 20 of the 33 farmer seats on the USARC board, said Joe Mencer, a rice farmer from Lake Village, AR, and a USARC vice chairman.
“We have a duly elected 30-member Arkansas Rice Council Board of Directors and by far the largest farmer delegation on the national promotion board,” Mencer said. “There’s a strong process for program development, budget oversight and accountability — and we have successful programs operating in the United States and around the world.”
All rice farmers in Arkansas receive an annual report from the USA Rice Federation on rice promotion program accomplishments and spending, and detailed financial statements are also available to farmers who attend meetings or request them.
Brantley and Mencer encouraged all Arkansas rice farmers to get involved in their state rice organizations, the Arkansas Rice Council and Arkansas Rice Producers’ Group.
Contact: Ben Noble, Benjamin.Noble@troutmansanders.com, (501) 372-4122
