The 2022-24 Rice Leadership Class (from left): Connor Popeck, Peter Rystrom, Julie Richard, Adam McAlister, and Daniel Cavazos (not pictured: Corey Connor and John McGraw)
Feb 06, 2024
WASHINGTON, DC – The 2022-24 Rice Leadership Development Class recently completed the two-year program with their final session held in conjunction with the USA Rice Legislative Fly-In in Washington, DC, February 4 – 8.
On Monday, the group visited the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters and met with staff from several different agencies that fall under the USDA umbrella of departments that are of vital importance to the industry including the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Economic Research Service (ERS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the World Agricultural Outlook Board.
That afternoon, the class traveled to the USA Rice staff office in Arlington, Virginia, to review the week ahead and discuss the many issues USA Rice is working on for the industry. They also toured the Canadian Embassy.
On Tuesday, the class attended the USA Rice Farm Policy Task Force meeting before their formal graduation ceremony where they received diplomas and a special leadership alumni lapel pin. The class then sat in on the Word Market Price Subcommittee meeting and a presentation by Alexis Taylor, under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.
Class spokesperson, Julie Richard from Kaplan, Louisiana, talked about the encouragement she and her classmates got from everyone they met over the course of the program to question: “Is this where we are going?” and “Maybe this is where we have already been?” They learned to trust their instincts as they proactively move forward from this point as leaders of this industry who are accountable to not only their consumers, but also to themselves.
Class members then joined their individual home state delegations making visits on Capitol Hill and speaking with legislators about the importance of the negotiations on the farm bill and significant concerns that are likely unique to rice that the industry hopes to see included.
In addition to Richard, class members are Daniel Cavazos from Wellington, Florida; Adam McCalister from Woodland, California; Connor Popeck from Gueydan, Louisiana; and Peter Rystrom from Chico, California. Corey Connor from Lake Arthur, Louisiana; and John McGraw from Pine Bluff, Arkansas were unable to attend.
During their four sessions, they visited rice growing regions in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas where they met rice producers and industry leaders. They also attended several sessions on improving leadership skills.
The Rice Leadership Development Program is sponsored by American Commodity Company, John Deere, and RiceTec. The program is open to U.S. rice producers or individuals who work in the rice industry between the ages of 25-45.
The application period will open in July and details will be announced in the USA Rice Daily.