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U.S. Grown Makes Sense on Your Menu

U.S. Grown Makes Sense on Your Menu

If you’re like many chefs, the source of your ingredients has become more important than ever. Learning how the food you use is grown and processed before it gets to your kitchen is crucial to helping you deliver consistently high-quality dishes for your customers.

Research conducted by USA Rice Federation further confirms this growing trend as chefs and operators reported their desire to support U.S. farmers and to use local ingredients.

View a video news release of a recent "From Farm to Table" experience hosted by USA Rice Federation in Louisiana.

How an ingredient goes from farm to table is just as important to farmers, as it directly supports their business when chefs choose U.S.-grown and local products.

Rice farmers are a perfect example.
U.S.-grown rice accounts for nearly 88% of the rice consumed in America. Rice is grown and harvested by local farmers in five south central states and California according to the highest quality and cleanliness standards. Among the many rice varieties are short, medium and long grain, as well as specialty including jasmine, basmati, arborio, red aromatic and black japonica.

To help you learn more about U.S.-grown rice, test your knowledge with this quiz: (answers appear at the end)

Which state ranks first among rice producing states, accounts for more than 40 percent of U.S. rice production and grows approximately 1.5 million acres each year of long and medium grain varieties?
Hot days, cool nights and clay soil create the perfect conditions to produce japonica-style rice in this state, much of which is used in sushi! Hint: it ranks second largest in rice growing.
In winter, water can be held on rice fields in this state, providing resting areas and food resources for migrating waterfowl (the third largest rice producing state and famous for its Cajun and Creole cuisine which often includes rice).
This state’s commercial rice industry launched in the late 1940s. By 1953, farmers in this state were planting 70,000 acres of rice and seeing agriculture becomes the state’s number one industry.
Which state’s 190,000 acres are estimated to produce a $68 million rice harvest—mainly long grain?
This state first cultivated rice using pioneer farming methods such as relying on oxen to plow the small plots which were planted by hand. Now the state produces rice on roughly 200,000 acres which contributes more than $200 million to its economy.

Looking for an experience to discover an ingredient’s journey from farm to table? Culinary Tourism is an increasing trend for both consumers and foodservice professionals. Visiting a working farm can be educational, enjoyable, and give you a real sense of all aspects involved in growing the food you eat and serve.

Chefs and operators can use your menus to convey to patrons your commitment to U.S.-grown products by proudly promoting use of local ingredients, featuring a local farmer, or creating a ‘special’ call-out to local ingredients in a dish.

Using U.S.-grown foods, including rice, ensures that you know where your ingredients are coming from—and supports our nation’s farmers and economy. To learn more about rice and its journey from our farms to your tables, view our U.S. Rice Map.

Quiz Answers:

Arkansas
California
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Texas