February 1997 - Houston, TX

With an economic impact of nearly $1 billion annually (fifth among the state's largest cash crops), rice is a major commodity in Texas. The state boasts one of the world's largest rice milling, processing, drying, storing, and shipping industries. For all of its economic success, growing rice profitably in Texas is costly. The Texas rice industry needs the tools of research and marketing to not only stay competitive, but to prosper in this coming century. Through a unique partnership of rice producers, industry, and university and government researchers, rice production has been a major success story for Texas agriculture. This Summit was designed to gauge the current situation for Texas rice production and stimulate ideas and directions for growth and improvements.

Publications

News Stories

The Planning Committee for this Summit included the following people:

Steve Balas (Co-Chair), Texas Rice Producers Board
Jim Stansel (CO-Chair), Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Arthur Anderson, Texas Rice Research Foundation
Laurance Armour, Texas R.I.C.E.
Robert Bauer, Texas Rice Improvement Association
Jim Butler, Texas A&M University System Agriculture Program
Bill Dishman, Sr., Texas Rice Producers Board
Raymond Franz, Texas Rice Council
Dale Hunt, Producer
Wallace Migura, Texas A&M University
Chuck Onstad, USDA ARS
Dick Ottis, Rice Belt
L.G. Raun, Texas R.I.C.E.
Bob Stallman, Texas Farm Bureau
Jim Stewart, Houston Audubon Society
Jack Wendt, Texas Rice Research Foundation
Des Woods, Texas Rice Producers Board

This Summit would not have been possible without financial support from:

Abbott Labs
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.
FMC Corp.
Garwood Irrigation Company
Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
Gustafson
M&M Air Service
Mustang Tractor & Equipment
Rhone Poulenc Ag. Co.
Rice Belt Warehouse, Inc.
The Rice Journal
Rice Marketing Association
Ricetec, Inc.
Wilbur-Ellis Co.

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For more information about the Summit Initiative, send email to: agsummit@tamu.edu