The USA Rice Federation has donated 10 commercial rice cookers to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Rice in Schools Program, expanding the ability of participating schools to serve Arkansas-grown rice in their cafeterias.
The equipment donation will help schools prepare rice-based meals more efficiently, providing students with access to locally sourced foods while strengthening connections to Arkansas agriculture.
“We are grateful that we have the opportunity to support Governor Sanders’ Rice in Schools Program this year,” said Peter Bachmann, President and CEO of USA Rice. “This first of its kind rice initiative will propel Arkansas from not only the top rice producing state, but to the state with the highest utilization rate in its schools.”
Twenty schools serving more than 11,400 students daily are participating in the Rice in Schools Program during the 2025–2026 school year. Currently, none of the participating schools have dedicated rice cookers, and ten schools identified commercial rice cookers as critical equipment needed to fully integrate rice into their meal programs.
The donated rice cookers will be placed in schools across the state, including Atkins Middle School, Batesville High School, Brookland Jr. High School/Brookland High School, Corning Public Schools, Dover School District, Frank Mitchell Intermediate School in Vilonia, Harrison School District, Nettleton Jr. High School in Jonesboro, Siloam Springs High School, and Ward Central Elementary School in Cabot.
Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said the donation will make a real difference for schools and students. “With Governor Sanders’ strong support for agriculture and nutrition, partnerships like this allow us to connect our farmers to our classrooms and ensure students have access to healthy, Arkansas-grown food,” Ward said.
In addition to the equipment donation, USA Rice has provided recipes, educational materials, and technical assistance to help introduce students to rice production and the agriculture industry.
Launched by Governor Sanders in September 2025, the Rice in Schools Program is part of the Arkansas Plate Initiative, a statewide effort to connect Arkansas producers with schools and communities through locally sourced foods. Participating schools feature locally grown rice in meals, host cooking demonstrations, and receive classroom resources focused on agriculture and nutrition education.
Ward Central Elementary School was the first school to host a Rice in Schools demonstration day, serving fried rice featuring Arkansas-grown rice, produce from the school garden, Arkansas-raised chicken and eggs, and soy sauce made with Arkansas soybeans. The event reached 307 students, with 74 percent reporting that they loved the recipe.
For more information, visit agriculture.arkansas.gov.
