Where is Rice Grown?
In the fertile Sacramento Valley rice fields can be seen on both sides of I-5 looking similar to golden colored grass. These patches of “grass” observed by the freeway passerby are more than what meets the eye, with everchanging colors and lengths throughout the season.
Ground preparation for the fields begins depending on the weather in March, then planting, growth and harvest of the rice occurs over the course of approximately eight months.
California Rice Commission
The rice fields serve as a large source of income for the majority of farmers in these areas as well as a safe haven for the local wildlife. Overseen by the State Department of Food & Agriculture, the California Rice Commission is an organization that supports the handlers and growers involved in the California rice industry (California Rice Commission, 2021). The commissions goal is to aid those in the industry by educating, regulating and implementing conservation practices.
(Photo from California Rice Commission, 2021)
Through various forms of media, the commission provides videos, infographics and images on all things rice, water, other crops, air, salmon and what we can do to better sustain our environment. To have an even better tie to everyday life and agriculture the California Rice Commission even shares snap shots of the furry canine friends that tag along in their farmer’s truck also known as “rice dogs”.
(Photo from California Rice Commission, 2021)
Media Today
Today communication is more important than ever in the agriculture industry to bridge the gap between those who reside in the city and those who produce the food that they consume. During the course of the pandemic and people being confined to their homes, electronics have become a source for the use of entertainment as well as education. From the comfort of one’s own home, you can click on an image or link and be able to find all the information that you may need. With this instant knowledge, the California Rice Commission has done an astounding job in sharing with the outside world all the hard work that goes into producing a rice crop and portraying those who are in the field from sunup until sundown.
New Media
While it may be difficult for some to see the agricultural crops grown in the northern part of the state firsthand, the California Rice Commission on their website provides an interactive map for those who want to learn of the wildlife that calls these fields home and provide a glimpse of what a rice field looks like. When viewing the map each icon shows an image of a different species found in the field. With this image a description of the animal and the part they play in the ecosystem is explained. Some animals that can be found in these fields include, bald eagles, Great Egrets, Black-necked Stilts, Tule Greater White-fronted Geese, White-faced Ibis, Giant Garter Snake, Sandhill Cranes, American Avocet and many other species. Wildlife conservation is extremely important when trying to maintain an ecosystem. The California Rice Commission values the habitat that these animals live in and try to live in harmony with one another so that both parties are benefiting from the rice fields.
https://calrice.org/wildlife/interactive-rice-field/.
Pros of the Interactive Map
Growing up around agriculture my entire life I am quite familiar with all that occurs in a rice field throughout the season. Having this knowledge and being able to see what the California Rice Commission has provided to its online viewers I am impressed with their creativity in producing field interaction through the click of a button. It is so easy for a person who may not be familiar with agriculture to not realize how much it ties together with wildlife and nature. For instance, Northern California is a part of the Pacific Highway for waterfowl and the rice fields serve as nesting and feeding grounds for them during the duration of the winter months.
Recommendations
I believe that the California Rice Commission is headed in the right direction providing interactive wildlife in the fields for its website viewers. A recommendation I have for the Commission to better enhance their outreach is to provide an interchangeable interactive map that captures rice growth stages and the equipment used throughout the season so that the viewers can receive a well-rounded understanding of what the Commission does to help these farmers.
Maureen LaGrande
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