The partnership received $1 million from Nutrien over four years.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Image via GettyImages-SuwanPhoto-iStock-Getty Images Plus
Nutrien, a leading crop inputs and services provider, has announced it is providing $1 million over four years to support sustainable agriculture practices for rice growers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California.
Nutrien said that via USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited Inc.’s decade-long Rice Stewardship Program, it has built a field team of partners who have worked on more than 1,000 rice farms spanning nearly one million acres, improving agricultural and environmental performance.
“Our collaboration with Nutrien is a vital step towards achieving widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices among rice farmers,” said Scott Manley, the Director of Agriculture Support, on behalf of Ducks Unlimited. “This partnership will focus on working with local agricultural communities to promote the benefits of sustainable farming and conservation efforts. The support of industry-leading corporations, like Nutrien, demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability and is critical to our ability to make this level of change happen.”
The US rice industry produces 20 billion pounds of rice annually, with 80 percent of all rice consumed in the US being grown on American soil. The Rice Stewardship works to bring about meaningful and long-term improvements to three of the nation’s critical natural and economic resources: working rice lands, water, and waterfowl.
“Something very important to our team at Nutrien is not only to serve and take care of our customers, but to also serve and take care of the communities we live and work in,” explained Jeff Tarsi, President of Global Retail for Nutrien. “I’m proud to say that we are supporters of Ducks Unlimited and look forward to collaborating with their team through the Rice Stewardship Partnership to protect and care for the rice lands, water, and wetlands in the South.”
Nutrien’s interest in the Rice Stewardship Program stems from a desire to promote nutrient stewardship at the producer level. On-farm improvements and management practices through sustainable initiatives and integrations can increase food production for future generations. Rice Stewardship supports farmers in adopting sustainable practices on their farms by conducting ongoing research and monitoring to measure the impact of crop health, soil quality, and water resources. Working together with Nutrien and other corporations invested in sustainable initiatives for growers, the stewardship is seeking to pave the way for a more prosperous future for agriculture.
“We are excited to have Nutrien as a program partner with Rice Stewardship,” commented Josh Hankins, USA Rice’s Director of Grower Relations and Rice Stewardship Partnership. “Their support will help us to foster the implementation of sustainable initiatives across the rice community.”
USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited, along with project partner the National Black Growers Council, recently secured an $80 million Climate-Smart Commodities grant, which will help continue to positively impact landscapes vital to rice production and waterfowl habitat.
Rice Stewardship funders include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Walmart Foundation, the Mosaic Company Foundation, Nestle Purina PetCare, Chevron U.S.A., RiceTec, Entergy, Nutrien, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, BASF, American Rice, Inc., Riviana Foods, Inc., Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation, Delta Plastics, Riceland Foods, Corteva Agriscience, Valley Irrigation, Cargill, Wells Fargo, Farmers Rice Milling Company, Horizon Ag, Turners Creek & Bombay Hook Farms, MacDon Industries, Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas, Ben Link Farms, and Ducks Unlimited major sponsors.
About Nutrien
Nutrien is a leading provider of crop inputs and services, helping to safely and sustainably feed a growing world. It operates a world-class network of production, distribution, and ag retail facilities that positions it to efficiently serve the needs of growers. The company focuses on creating long-term value by prioritizing investments that strengthen the advantages of its integrated business and by maintaining access to the resources and relationships with stakeholders needed to achieve its goals. www.nutrien.com.
About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands, and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 18 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife, and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent comprehensive campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.