2.2 - Conversation with the California Rice Commission with Tim Johnson (Pt. 2)

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Sarah Marsh Janish sat down with Tim Johnson, the President & CEO of the California Rice Commission, also known as the CRC. The CRC makes it their mission to support the family farmers and mills who have excelled for more than a century. This support looks like engaging in a number of comprehensive regulatory programs such as managing water quality programs, maintaining an active industry communications program, and coordinating wildlife habitat conservation programs.

Sarah and Tim discussed the role and mission of the California Rice Commission, its history, and its efforts to manage water quality, habitat conservation, and industry communications. They also explored the environmental impact of rice farming, the importance of rice fields for waterfowl habitat and shorebirds, and the potential for rice fields to contribute to the recovery of salmon runs. The conversation ended with a discussion on the California Rice Commission's role in promoting rice farming, its partnerships with organizations, and its focus on collaboration and resource efficiency.

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Transcript

Transcript

Sarah Marsh Janish

Hello and welcome to thoughts on Rice, a podcast hosted by the University of California Cooperative Extension Race Advisors. I'm one of your hosts, Sarah Marcianis, and I'm a race farm advisor for Closa and Yolo counties.

Whitney Brim Deforest

I'm the Cooperative Extension rice advisor for Sutter Yuba Plaza and Sacramento County.

Luis Espino

My name is Luis. I'm the rice farming systems advisor for Butte and Glenn counties.

Michelle Leinfelder miles

I'm Michelle meisholder. I'm a farm advisor in the Delta region. I work on all sorts of field crops, grains and forages. But one of those is rice, and the county's that I cover are sandwiches. Sacramento, Yolo, Solano and Contra Costa counties.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Together, the Uce Rice farm advisors seek to provide relevant topical research backed information relating to California rice production.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Today, we're continuing the conversation we had last week with Tim Johnson, the President and CEO of the California Rice Commission, or CRC if you're interested in hearing more about the mission and origins of the California Rice Commission, please go back and listen to that episode before continuing on. This one.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Do you want to mention any other sustainability projects that the CRC has a hand in?

Tim Johnson

Projects that that I'm sure growers are interested in is actually a collaborative project with that's unlimited. I said that's unlimited nationwide and here in California is helping the rice industry implement climate smart. Which you know. Came out of the previous presidential administration but grown very excited right here. Some things on my. Now I can do some other things and. Help with with. Greenhouse gas. We've talked about habitat, but let's talk about the, you know, the final points of of of climate. And develop those practices nationally and index unlimited. They're the face that the grower's gonna see when they say, yeah, I think I'd like to sign up for some of these climate practices. Get be able to capture some of these dollars and be able to utilize them on my farm to reduce climate impacts. What would that look? We're not going to see somebody from the Rights Commission. Going to see. A staffer from Buffalo who says hey. Because rice is so. Back to that kind of that theme of today, we want to make sure that we're helping growers, right, make sure that you can maintain that production base, maintain those working rig land. These are some programs that are available to you and let's work together. Some of the other programs that we're very excited about that are related to climate, but in that in that area has a sweet spot. We can do some things in rice to reduce our our greenhouse gas impact. And we do those we're excited about, but I think our biggest give back on climate. Is actually species. And now let's not forget that as the climate gets drier, there are a few places. And fewer places for those species. To go to. To have a place to rest, a place to feed, a place, to to, to go ahead and continue to thrive and. And so we're working with Caltrans, UC Davis and others to develop some science and some understanding about how life feels. Can not only provide that habitat for ducks that I mentioned, but also food for juvenile salmon that we come down Sacramento River programs that would allow us to even grow, that zooplankton that lives in our fields when we flood, we get all that life straw decomposing. Put that back in the river when the salmon are coming. Or most exciting, when the bypasses, which are those areas outside the Sacramento River but away from our cities, it's kind of a. It's kind of a weighted. Water when the floodwaters are high around the cities. Salmon. Well, maybe salmon are in that water. They're swimming over rice fields. How can we manage those fields so that when that water recedes, they've got this perfect pool? With all this food, probably a duck on the top of the water and baby salmon underneath, eating all that zooplankton while the duck eats the rice, and then those we know, those fish grow about three times bigger. And if we can make sure that when they come on. Rice field. They can swim. Away easily and don't get kind of stuck. We think we can really help contribute to the rebounding and the recovery of the of of the salmon in the Pacific West with four runs in California and we've seen all four runs in our field as we do that science with UC Davis. And we're just now wrapping up the last year or two of work to make sure that we've got it just right and that growers can sign up for practices through NRCS. I mean, it's not feel like this you helped your son. We think we can deliver for sale and like we've delivered for dots and then finally. You know, some people, snakes, but I got to tell you, giant snakes love rice fields. You've seen them, I'm sure, growing up right. The big plant gardens.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Huge, huge snakes.

Tim Johnson

There maybe they're like.

Tim Johnson

And they're. Yellow and black striped, but they weren't on on the edge of a rice field next to the ditch, right? And so working with UC Davis also to understand working with US Geologic survey, which is actually government science agency that kind of leads giant partnership research. What about giant partnerships and? What do we know? What do we need to know? How can we do better? By training what we think we know is that having rice present in certain areas is critical. Be able to change some of our practices is is also helpful. Really be able to expand out into species beyond just those that we inherited when we stopped the burning life straw. And the work that we've done to expand the other species and we're just going to keep doing this until we run out, I have to take say though that 230 species of wildlife that we know live in rice fields. So we got a long way to go. But before we run out of pieces that we can help in life.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Yeah, that bucket seems almost bottomless and just for people who really aren't aware, Lee's got her sakes. They're non. They're non. They're not like the water moccasins you see in the mid South reason. They're not going to hurt you.

Tim Johnson

They eat. Frogs. They eat fish. And they'll just look at you and go the other direction, but quite an impressive snake. And you never think about things like giant carnivorous in the West. You don't think about things like yellow rails, right? For rice fields in Louisiana.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Exactly.

Tim Johnson

But really, the world needs it's it's managed wetlands, right? Working aggress. Ively fits that need, and that need is increasingly important.

Sarah Marsh Janish

I'd also like if you have the time to talk a bit more about the bird programs that the CRC kind of helps coordinate. Know we mentioned them earlier, but if you want to, I guess elaborate a bit more especially on the Shore Bird program.

Tim Johnson

So working with Nature Conservancy in Audubon and others, we've developed a really unique program. Where dollars that would come from maybe the Department of Fish and Wildlife here in California. Dollars that come from our nonprofit partners like Nature Conservancy, maybe even some federal dollars. We want to go fed Dr. Seals. What's the most efficient way to do that? And So what we did working with with our partners is develop. A system by which growers can enter into a computer portal and say, look, I've got a certain number of acres, let's, let's say 300 acres this year. I would like to flood. I think I can provide you with rice habitat at a certain time of year, but at a cost that looks like this with every farmers operating programs are no different than the farmers are little different. And so it allows them to do is to bid. On providing that ecosystem service, so you can say I think I can do it for let's say $75 and so. Bunch of farmers go put their bids in. Then what you do is you do a reverse auction. The high-priced acres won't be fulfilled as soon as the low price acres. Let's say I've got access to really available water. I can manage this in such a way that I can do the at the lower cost. Those acres get sold acres that are further away from water, more expensive will then get shielded less. Maybe you don't get into the program. This year. So it's a very efficient way to be able to take in those habitat dollars and stretch them the food list. It also allows us to target specific flooding practices in specific areas at specific times. If you're short bird and you fly over typically flooded rice field. And it's the middle of winter, and there's water everywhere. You probably don't have a habitat deficit. But when you came in October and there weren't flooded rice fields and the national refuges didn't have the water out on the landscape yet, you really need habitat. So can we develop programs to go through that same computer portal to be able to say, you know, growers that may be harvested early in September can get that water on, they can go, I can start doing that habitat practices now. You go in and you sign up and you bid on very targeted times of year for very specific durations for very specific depths, both in the spring and then also in the fall like you've been talking about. So it really allows. To fine tune the practices that we have on our field, be able to really greatly enhance the dollars that are spent on specific habitat. And then we also know where those acres are at in the programs. And the biologists then go out and confirm right through field. Obs. Oftentimes, in the case of schoburg also trapping programs, we trap the birds, maybe put some. GPS devices on them.

Tim Johnson

Are those birds using those fields? It's really become a way that that growers can say. Well, CRC. Be helping us on something like the FarmVille, but the CRC is also also helping us navigate sign up for. Understand insults. On these habitat programs are now becoming an important part of my winter. Maybe the most important part of my winter. On my farm and and really be able to think about that farm in a in a fullness of the season, not just the growing season, but also those shoulder seasons where we can provide this great habitat. We've actually hired a biologist from point Blu Conservation Sciences. Kristen, I'm the only. We're the only sort of commodity group that I know that has a a real published living biologist on our staff. To help us help our farmers right and and help the public really understand the benefits to to rice fields and especially for for those birds not just us but also other other birds that we might have in our fields.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Expanding the range of bird access, which is I mean. Just increasing that number of wildlife species in the race fields.

Tim Johnson

Right, we have. We just have such a great opportunity in a state that needs wetlands back right? 95% gone. Where can we find a wetland when we could do that? The reality is we have half a million acres. That farmers manage, as you know, every single year just to absolute precision, to grow rice crop.

Tim Johnson

That same mentality, those same. That same systems to say you want 2 inches of water on that field in September or October. I can do that. Got you right. If you need late water. After I might drain the rest of my fields. I got you. I can do that and that's really taking that ingenuity of farmers that we talked about kind of jumping in and solving problems. In a very proactive way. Well, rather than waiting until we get a listing on a species or great public concern, and it's really farmers in this case, rice farmers working with the NGO community. Our government entities, I mean we couldn't do this without department of. And wildlife. We couldn't do it without NRCS. We couldn't do it without USGS indicate. Garner great, you've. US Geological Survey. They do snakes. Hey. They're awesome on snakes and they know all the things that you need to know about snakes, and if we didn't develop programs, they're really connect the farmer with the nonprofit with the government and solve a problem. Much like we've been trying to do in the Sacramento Valley with water districts and and NGOs like Caltrans and science like at UC Davis on Salmon, I think in 10 years, if we would have this conversation. It's going to be grilled rice. We grill birds. We grow salmon and and we're 90% of the way there on Giant Carter sneak and what a difference from that time where the pressure. Was about not burning restaurant. To now being able to think well, you know, we don't have to get all that about this other stuff because. Can do some things. About it today we can go out and provide civic flyway. We can do giant Carter snake stuff. We can weigh in to the really hard space, work with people who are already smart on salmon. And so this is rice field. I've been to work together to figure out how we can make that better. For concerns that impact every person in California, not just folks in polluting.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Exactly. So we'll have this conversation again in 10 years and that'll be the topic conversation. With that, Tim, I think we're going to start. Wrap up. Are there any upcoming events with the CRC or associated partners that you'd like to mention?

Tim Johnson

But we have a great grower meeting every year. This year, it's January 15th. We'll have two sessions while the session in Colusa will also have a session in Yuba City and you can find out, we'll send out cards to the industry. We also have a really great website that we keep those updated on. It's called Cal. News news. Dot org and that's where all we put our calendar out there all sign up for programs. All information that would impact our Farm bill, progress, etcetera. So come to our goal meeting on the 15th. You get an opportunity to talk about FarmVille. We'll talk about the footprint and we'll talk about some really cutting edge digital communications efforts that Katie in our office has been undertaking. Again, really kind of unique and hugely impactful. Activities. You know the nice. The 9 rice counties where we grow grow our crop to people who aren't going to have that exposure, but really some exciting work there and also hear about, you know state policies as well that may be coming up and impacting us. Great meeting for. Great meeting for people interested. Rights in the state.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Excellent. And yeah, I went to the one last year and it was incredibly informative, especially at the beginning of my job. Jumping into it, it was a great dose of OK. Is what's. On and with that, how should people contact the CRC? They do that through the website.

Tim Johnson

Go to calorice.org. He gonna contact us. You've got access to all the we call our experts bird questions and ask bird questions. And you know, if you ever get around to needing a CEO question, find me there too for everyday News. Like I said, Cal Rice news.org. And that'll be more kind of grower specific information to you, but you can also reach us there as well.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Perfect. And then so for context, I was on a podcast recently and the filthy spoon for anybody who's interested. It was a great time, but so the guys there, they're real pros and they recommend doing a send off question at the end of the podcast just. Close things up. So with that, Tim. What is your favorite rice or rice variety and why?

Tim Johnson

Oh, such she goes back. A real specific moment. I remember. Brown coach I Curry.

Sarah Marsh Janish

What is so specific?

Tim Johnson

It is, yeah, I I I'm not a real big brown rice guy. But Brown koshikari for me has that perfect. You know, nice chewy texture. You get the nuttiness of the brown rice. I just love it. Is fantastic. That is my favorite rice. If you have to say of all of these, go eat that one. It's that, of course, got to. Grown in California. And yeah, we got to be grown in California's beyond that. I would have to say I have came to this industry knowing nothing about rice. I I love Cal rose. I mean what a? Great way for them making a paella. Just Steven rice. I'm going in and getting some sushi and makuni's or something like that. Man, get some calories. It's it is what California rice is. It we are calories around the world, how can you not love calories?

Sarah Marsh Janish

I agree with. I think I was talking to somebody from Hawaii last week and they told me specifically they only buy California rice, specifically look for it in the stores. Don't care how much it costs in Hawaii. What they're getting?

Tim Johnson

All that mocha moco rice. Elrose.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Oh yeah. Well, Tim, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. I think I think everybody's going to be really interested in hearing what you had to say today.

Tim Johnson

Thank you, Sir for the. Thank you for the work that you. Extension does on behalf of Rice and all of agriculture. You guys make us better. You.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Well, we're grateful to get to work with people like the CRC in order to try and serve the community and the industry as much as we can.

Sarah Marsh Janish

We have a few upcoming rice meetings in the new Year. As you know, we'll be having our rice winter grower meetings in February. So we have a series of meetings. Have the same. Don't go to every single meeting. You'll be awfully bored, but pick. Pick the one that's closest to you, or most convenient to you, and attend that one. So the first one will be the woodland meeting which will take place February 10th at 8:00 AM. The location for that will be the Yolo County Farm Bureau office. The second meeting will be the RICHVILLE meeting, which will take place February 12th at 8:00 AM. The location of that is the Richville Evangelical Church.

Sarah Marsh Janish

Willows meeting will be that same day, February 12th at 1:00 PM and that location will be the Glenn County Office of Education. The Colusa meeting will take place February 13th at 8:00 AM in the CIP conference room. In the Yuba City meeting will take place that same day again, February 13th at 1:00 PM. And that'll be in the veterans Hall. For more information about meeting times and locations or addresses and agendas, please feel free to look at our resources online. That will include the UC Rice blog and the UC agronomy website. Or feel free to call your local extension office For more information. In terms of other resources that you might take advantage of, you can also look at our newsletters, which include rice briefs, which covers clues, Yolo rice notes, which covers you basetter rice leaf. Covers but and Glen and Field notes, which takes care of rice in the Delta region of California. Thanks for listening to thoughts on race, a University of California Cooperative Extension Podcast from the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources. You can find out more about this podcast on our website. Thoughts on rice.buzzsprout.com? We'd love to hear from you whether it's from using our text link in the show notes, a survey submission in our feedback form. Also in the show notes, or in a comment or rating on your podcast streaming service of choice. We're also experimenting with Poles on Spotify, so if you're listening on Spotify, you might have an option to answer some of those questions, and we might be able to talk about that on the air.

Sarah Marsh Janish

You can also e-mail us with any comments, questions or concerns at thoughts on rice at ucdavis.edu. We're glad to have you here for season 2 of the thoughts on Rice podcast and. Remember, like the growers like to say, have a race life. Mention of an agrochemical does not constitute a recommendation, merely the sharing of research findings always follow the label. The label is the law. Find out more at ipm.ucaandr.edu. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed are the speakers own and do not represent the views, thoughts and opinions of the University of California, the material and information presented here is for general purposes only. The University of California name in all forms and abbreviations are the property of its owner, and its use does not imply endorsement of or opposition to any specific organization, product or service.