HARRISBURG, Ark. — School nutrition directors from across the state convened in Poinsett County on Tuesday for the inaugural Arkansas Rice in Schools Conference, part of Arkansas Rice Month celebrations. Held at the Northeast Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center, the event aimed to promote the inclusion of Arkansas-grown rice in school meal programs by fostering direct connections between educators and local farmers.
Leslee Tell, farm-to-school coordinator for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Division, explained that the meeting was about strengthening relationships between child nutrition directors and those growing the staple grain. “The main goal today was to really link our rice farmers, in particular in northeast Arkansas, with our child nutrition directors across the state,” Tell said. “We wanted them to have a personable connection to them.”
The conference included culinary training sessions, discussions on federal and state nutrition regulations hosted by representatives from USA Rice, and guided tours of the research center’s fields and laboratories. Participants learned about the process of growing rice, the challenges farmers currently face, and potential pathways to bring more of the locally grown grain into cafeterias statewide.
A lunchtime panel discussion featured four rice farmers from Weiner, Newport, Valley View, and Atkins. They shared their experiences navigating a particularly dry growing season and the difficulties posed by prolonged drought conditions. “We want them to know that there’s a family behind that farm,” Tell added. “We wanted them to see all the perils that go into that end—not to feel bad for them or anything, but just so that they could see where they’re coming from.”
The event emphasized the importance of a shorter, more direct supply chain that links Arkansas farmers with schools. Organizers hope these strengthened ties will encourage wider use of Arkansas rice in schools, supporting local agriculture while providing meals rooted in the region’s economy.
The conference drew attendees from across Arkansas, reflecting widespread interest in better connecting classrooms with the farms that supply them. Arkansas ranks as the leading rice producer in the United States, making the crop a cornerstone of the state’s agricultural economy and an important ingredient in many school meal programs.