Arkansas Business

Riceland Foods

Riceland Foods of Stuttgart is the world's largest miller and marketer of rice, accounting for roughly one-third of U.S. rice production, according to some estimates.

Riceland also is a major soybean processor. It stores, processes, and markets milled white, brown and parboiled rice, rice flour, rice bran oil, soybean meal, soybean and other food oils, and feed ingredients.

Riceland is a cooperative of 7,500 members in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas who farm rice, soybeans and wheat. Its 2010 sales totaling $1.1 billion and it employs roughly 1,600.

Riceland products are sold across the nation and in more than 75 countries worldwide.

Karl Kennedy is president and CEO of Riceland. The organization's board of directors is comprised entirely of farmers and is elected by Riceland members to formulate policies for the farmers' cooperative.

The board's chairman and vice chairman provide leadership for the group. Standing committees are appointed to monitor specific areas of the cooperative's business and to report findings to the board.