California Rice Benefits Many
California’s rice industry benefits the environment, the economy, and the food supply chain throughout the Sacramento Valley region and beyond.
Small California communities
In addition to the unique role planted rice fields play in the environment, California’s rice industry is a major contributor to local towns that rely on farming. California’s rice growing region spans more than 8 Northern California counties, stretching from Sacramento to Chico, Davis to Marysville.
The workforce behind California rice
Getting California-grown rice from the field to the table takes a workforce. It takes 2,500 family farms to plant, grow and harvest an average of half a million acres of rice in the Sacramento Valley each year. An additional 25,000 rice-related jobs are needed year-round, from highly skilled ag aircraft pilots, to trucking operations, to local ag supply stores, specialized rice dryers and high-tech mills all employing knowledgeable workers who are an important link in the chain needed to grow, dry and mill California Rice.
Statewide
As the nation’s second largest rice growing state, California Rice means more than $5 billion to our state and is America's sushi rice source.
Ports
Several ports throughout the state play a key role in the rice export process.
