Seven Arkansas rice companies on Thursday donated more than 107 tons of rice to Arkansas Foodbank, supporting efforts to feed hungry families across the state.
The donating mills are: Arkansas River Rice of Pine Bluff; Farmers Granary Inc. of McCrory; Producers Rice Mill of Stuttgart; Ralston Family Farms of Atkins; Riceland Foods Inc. of Stuttgart; Specialty Rice Inc. of Brinkley, and Windmill Rice Company of Jonesboro.
Rhonda Sanders, CEO of Arkansas Foodbank, said the "record-setting" donation will be distributed between five food banks in the Feeding America network in Arkansas. Along with Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock, they are: River Valley Regional Food Bank in Fort Smith; Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas in Jonesboro; Harvest Regional Food Bank in Texarkana, and Northwest Arkansas Food Bank in Springdale.”
"Arkansas rice farmers play a crucial role in the fight against hunger," Sanders said in a news release. "We’re so grateful for their continued partnership and support as we provide nutritious food to Arkansans facing food insecurity."
Arkansas rice farmers grow over 50% of the nation’s total crop. They're on pace to produce rice on approximately 1.1 million acres this year in over 40 counties, many of which are served by the Arkansas Foodbank.
"As rice harvest continues, our growers try to be good stewards by giving a portion of their crop to hunger relief efforts," Kelly Robbins, executive director of the industry group Arkansas Rice, said in the release.
