The Supply Side: Arkansas rice farmer part of Walmart’s sustainable farm focus

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Dustin Faulkner, a third-generation Arkansas farmer, is part of an aggressive plan by the world’s largest retailer to save billions of gallons of water in rice farming.

Faulkner lives south of Jonesboro in Harrisburg, where he oversees 26 Ditch Farm Partnership with his wife Kristy and teenage daughters Alyson and Abby. The family farms around 3,500 acres, with about one-third of that being rice he sells to Walmart. He also sells rice and wheat to beer maker Anheuser-Busch while improving sustainable farming practices.

He said running a regenerative farm is important because the land and its resources must be preserved for future generations. He was introduced to Walmart by third-party sustainability partner Indigo Ag, whose mission is to connect farmers to higher-valued markets while using sustainability practices.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/06/the-supply-side-arkansas-rice-farmer-part-of-walmarts-sustainable-farm-focus/

Dustin Faulkner walks his 3,500-acre farm in Harrisburg just south of Jonesboro inspecting the growth of rice that will be sold to Walmart for its Great Value Long Grain brand. Faulkner has been selling rice to Walmart since 2021 and is one of several farms in the region taking part in sustainable farm practices.

USDA to send $250 million in aid to rice farmers, Sen. Boozman recognized for effortsa

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Rice acres and yields were down across the board during the 2022 growing season. Farmers had to battle wild weather fluctuations, disease and skyrocketing input costs. But federal aid is on the way.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday (Feb. 28) plans to provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers and what steps they can take to be prepared to sign up when the program is released later this spring. USDA is sharing information early so producers can prepare for program sign up, which will include a pre-filled application in an effort to simplify and streamline the application process.

“USDA intends to use the streamlined approach it has utilized on other disaster programs to speed program implementation,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By leveraging Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency data for the Emergency Relief Program, USDA saved farmers and staff significant time, and we think this approach will help us provide an initial payment more quickly with a final payment after the application period has closed. I appreciate Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking member Sen. John Boozman’s assistance bringing together rice farmers from across the country to provide input on how to expedite and simplify the process.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/usda-to-send-250-million-in-aid-to-rice-farmers-sen-boozman-recognized-for-efforts/