Betsy Ward, USA Rice Federation

This week’s Open Mic guest is Betsy Ward, president and CEO of the USA Rice Federation. All of the U.S. ag industry is faced with inflationary pressure and supply chain issues this year, but Ward says the nation’s rice growers aren’t seeing higher prices for rice largely due to a lack of global market access including unfair trade practices from India. She says growers would like better direction from the Biden trade team and wishes Congress would step in with policy to help growers offset higher production costs in 2022. Ward believes rice growers have made tremendous strides in sustainable production practices while maintaining a nutritious food product and wildlife habitat in fields across the mid-south and west.