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Acres of manicured green rice fields stretch as far as you can see outside Sacramento, California. American farmers rank third in the global export of rice despite producing only 1.5 percent of the world's rice. Ninety-five percent of California's rice is grown within 100 miles of its capital, and the state is the largest producer of short- and medium-grain Japonica rice in this country.
Organic in the U.S.
California is also the biggest producer of certified organic rice, which accounts for 16,684 acres, with Arkansas and Texas each devoting between 4,600 and 5,000 acres to its cultivation. Most of the organic rice acreage in the Sacramento Valley is part of the Lundberg Family Farms cooperative of 35 farmers. Small rice farmers are also devoting some of their acreage to growing organic rice. Whether on a large or small scale, obtaining organic certification is a three-year process that presents numerous challenges to farmers.
Organic Farming
Organic methods attract rice farmers for several reasons. These include improving the soil while protecting the air, water, and wildlife. Such ecologically sound values also rank high with consumers who buy organic.
Fields being prepared for growing organic rice go through a different process than those that will be planted with conventional rice. Organic farmers till the rice straw under and allow it to compost naturally. Crop rotation, nitrogen-fixing cover crops, and the use of natural of natural fertilizers like compost and aged manures help enrich the soil and contribute to sustainability, leaving the land better than it was before growing rice.
Though limited by strict environmental regulation, burning rice fields to eliminate the rice straw and to kill pests and weeds after harvest has been the conventional method for clearing fields in preparation for the next season.
Numerous species of tiny animals and plants thrive in healthy rice fields, which attract many types of waterfowl. Rice field habitats in Texas, California, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri contribute to the stability of special-status shore birds, including those that are rare or endangered. California's rice lands alone provide habitats for 235 species of animals. The absence of insecticides in organic rice fields supports greater numbers of invertebrate species and provides better foraging habitat for birds such as herons that depend upon them.
Water is the main method of organic weed control. Rice farmers must be ever vigilant in raising or lowering water levels to discourage weeds from growing without unduly taxing the rice plants.
Organic Harvest and Storage
Harvesting methods for rice are similar to those used for wheat, oats, barley, and other grains. However, organic rice requires additional attention.
Not having been treated with weed killers and pesticides, it may contain weed seeds and other items that need to be removed. One sophisticated removal method uses laser-like color sorters to detect broken grains, tiny rocks, weeds, and other debris, which are promptly ejected from the conveyer.
After this careful screening, the rice is ready for storage in silos. Keeping silo temperature low helps retard spoilage and discourages insect activity. The rice is milled to remove the inedible outer layer and then processed and cleaned. Harvested brown rice has its bran layer intact, while white rice is polished to remove the bran.
Certifying Integrity
Organic rice is grown and processed without toxic and persistent pesticides or environmentally challenging phosphate residues. Clean, organic measures used to store the rice contribute to an exceptionally high-value product. To maintain freshness, flavor, and nutrition, organic must be packaged and shipped as soon as possible.
Rice is self-pollinating and considered low risk for cross contamination by pollen from genetically modified (GM) crops. California has very strict seed certifications laws, and as a result the state's rice has tested negative for genetically modified Liberty Link (LLRICE601) strains. The integrity of organic rice is further protected by development of special varieties including black Japonica, red Wehani, certain aromatics (jasmine, basmati), and Arborio strains. Sweet, sushi, wild, and Golden Rose are other specialty organic rice varieties.
Certified organic rice is available in many products including blends of several varieties that offer added flavor and provide interest to meals. Many ready-to-go and quick-cooking organic rice entrees are now found in natural products stores. Snack items include rice cakes, rice chips, and rice milk. Products for baking include rice syrup, rice bran, and rice flour.
Added Benefits of Organic
As one of the first solids offered to infants, organic rice is a wise choice. One recent survey found unwanted pesticide residues in 54 percent of conventional rice - and 10 percent contained multiple pesticides. Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide used to control pests on stored rice and other grains, has been linked to significant neurological defects in children. Following the offspring of mothers exposed to this pesticide, researchers found significant mental and motor delays that increased over time. By the age of three, highly exposed children were more likely to show symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other developmental problems.
This pesticide has also been linked to lower birth weights and lengths, another sign of adverse effects in utero. "The surest way to dramatically reduce pesticide dietary exposures is to convert acreage from conventional to organic farming systems," finds University of Washington research.
While chlorpyrifos is one the most widely used pesticides, other agricultural chemicals present risks, especially to agricultural workers, their children, and residents of farming communities. For example, long-term exposure to carbofuran, and insecticide used on rice and conventional crops, has been linked to lung cancer risk in farm workers. Pesticide exposure from non-organic rice crops strongly correlates to breast cancer mortality in Caucasian women in Mississippi.
Rice Bran's Benefits
Brown rice is a high-fiber food that belps regulate blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and remove toxins from the body. The broken coat of the rice grain, rice bran contains more than 100 antioxidants. Since recent research suggests that antioxidant values are higher in organic crops than conventionally grown foods, look for organic brown rice, bran and related products.
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