spk_1
I kind of feel like I’m going through rush things kind of what it’s like, very stressful.
spk_0
Hey, it’s Nate. Bizarro and welcome to Titans of Industry, the podcast where I talked to industry leaders and innovators toward the top of their game and leading the pack in their fields, uncovering some of the best stories in today’s business landscape. In today’s episode, I sit down with Lauren Waldrip, the executive director of the Arkansas Rice Federation and partner at Campbell Ward. She represents an industry where $6 billion a year to state and she talks about why people should be more concerned about the rice industry, how she’s getting young people and the community involved to help her tell the Arkansas Rice story and why cauliflower Rice isn’t actually a thing. And now let’s get to the episode. But before we do, it’s important to know that whether you’re a small business owner or the face of a multi $1,000,000,000 industry, your organization has a great story to tell and content. Titan wants to help you tell it. Wear a digital content creation powerhouse built for the 21st century, providing all in creative strategic production, post production and distribution services for a 360 degree 24 7 world. In our world, titans are passionate, creative doers. They have the experience to take your project from start to finish, minimizing your involvement so you can focus on what matters most running your business. So if you’re ready to take your content strategy and production to the next level, our titans are ready to help. Now, here’s my conversation with Lauren Waldrip. All right, Lauren, thanks so much for being here. Can’t wait to have this conversation with you. So let’s just jump right in. Give me a little bit of background of Where did you come from? How did you end up with a title of Arkansas Rice executive director. Is that right?
spk_1
Yeah. I answered a lot to think that that’s one of them. So I grew up on a farm in a small rule community and East Arkansas, about halfway between Little Rock and Memphis. Didn’t really appreciate that until I got to college. And, you know, you say that you grew up on a farm and people say, Oh, with cows and chickens and you say no. You know, we actually grow more rice than anyone else here. And ah, you know, we’re ranked for other road crops as well. And so, um, in college, I kind of realized that there’s there’s more to this than I thought growing up. Um, And then I did an internship while I was getting my MBA with the Farm Bureau and realized that there’s just not in the folks that are telling our story. Agriculture is the state’s largest industry, and I knew that there was a lot of work to be done in communicating that. And that’s kind of how I got here in a more or less roundabout way.
spk_0
So did you start school in business, or did you go for agriculture? What was your
spk_1
eso? Actually, everyone else in my family went to the bumpers called the at College in Bayville. Um, and I was in the wall in college a little bit of the black sheet, probably in more ways than one. But that was one of them, and ah knew that I had experience in agriculture and kind of knew some of the things that went into that, but knew that a business degree could help me. You know, one day run my own business and different things like that. So I think it has. It’s actually worked out. I started studying accounting at first just because I knew I could get a job and that was more realistic. Then marketing. And then I realized I’m never going to be an accountant. And so, uh, just went with marketing and then got my MBA
spk_0
Very cool. Eso speaking of the black sheep, talking about the family for a minute. So you have a twin sister who is a an attorney. That’s right. And then you have an older sister. What is she? She’s also an attorney is also so Yeah, more wisdom when you’re the black.
spk_1
Well, I’m people, um, and bless his heart. I have a brother, too, but he doesn’t get much face time. He’s in the middle. So Katie and I are the youngest of four, and Alison is ah, a few like she’s five years older than us. And she she’s an assistant U. S. Attorney. So she’s a federal prosecutor. Katie works for Mitchell Williams, but they’re both attorneys nonetheless. So folks will ask me, Why didn’t you go to law school? And I jokingly like to say, Well, because I have a soul. Um, but no, they they both Thankfully, luckily for me provided pro bono counsel very frequently, which I certainly appreciate. And then my brother is also here in little Rock eso he works at Armour Banks. Um, so we’re all here.
spk_0
Very cool. All right. So a day in the life, what does the day look like in your in your shoes?
spk_1
So Becky Campbell on I have, ah, public affairs and public relations firm. Um, we dio The short answer is it’s different every day, which is which is good, and it works out well for us. But a lot of our clients are agriculturally related and so through that we do all the management for the Arkansas Rice Federation, and so ah, that couldn’t tell anything from their media, relations, communications. We handle their press and different things. We also do their promotional efforts, any of their political action committee fundraising on a state and federal level. The filing that goes along with that, their policy also in a state and federal level, we work very closely with the USA Rice Federation. Um and so I’m sure that there lots of activities that we do for them that I’m leaving out. But I think in a nutshell, that’s, um that’s what we do for them. And so we really like the, you know, the capacity that that gives us toe work and in hand with farmers. We communicate with them on a daily basis, whether it’s meetings with our membership or just talking to him on the phone, asking him how harvest is going. In fact, last week we went to one of our farmers operations and just kind of rode around with him. And, um, we just try to keep a grip on how things were going and what their challenges are and how we can help move the needle for them. Or what? You know what programs need to be improved, or how can we increase communication and and just tell their story and really try to create a face. You know, folks, aer folks are increasingly concerned about not only where their food comes from, but who grows it and how they grow it. And so that’s a story that is very appealing. I think I realized I’m a little bit biased, but, um, you know. I think not only is it trendy, but it’s sustainable in so many ways, and we have a really great story to tell in that regard. And so, um, you know, I hate to say my job’s easy, but I have a lot to work with, and some really great great folks in our membership are farmers that are involved in our organisations Arkansas Rice Federation, which is the umbrella organization. And it represents the farmers. The new policy, the council that do that does promotional efforts and then the merchants in the Millers. But those folks volunteer their time, and so they’re giving up time on their operations. Time with their families were taking a group of catfish farmers to D. C next week to meet with their legislators, and they are affecting decisions and having conversations that affect policy. That’s helpful for all catfish farmers and those folks Aer again sacrificing to do that. And I don’t think that they get near enough praise or recognition all that they do to do that. And so it’s neat and it’s very rewarding for me to be able to see that on the first day and level
spk_0
that’s awesome so backing up a little bit again when you were going to school. You realize there’s great stories to tell. You kind of saw that the direction you needed to go in order to to maybe most been officially tell those stories. But did you kind of come out of school knowing All right, this is the direction I want to go order or did. Did the rice thing fall in your lap like this? Just kind of happen
spk_1
is sure eso I think so. I was getting ready to start my last semester of MBA and had a mutual friend who had actually worked in Senator Bozeman’s office when I was there. And I think it was just kind of a God thing that the timing worked out where I could switch. I could come down to Little Rock for the legislative session toe work, ultimately at the firm where he worked that represented Rice. Um, and I could switch from the full time MBA program at the Walton College to the executive MBA program, Um, which allows you to obviously leader in being remotely, um so I came down here in time for the legislative session on just became more and more engaged on that front before Becky and I eventually bought out that firm. Um, so again, I you know, I never decided. I want to represent a new what I felt like I was good at because of my experiences and the things that I cared about, Um, you know, specifically agriculture. But I didn’t even know that people got paid to do this. Ah, you know, a lot of folks in the Walton College go, you know, they stay in Northwest Arkansas on they’ll go. Teoh. You know all that is people. Yes, yes, which are really great things. And they’ve done really great things for the state. But I knew that that was never what I wanted to do. And so, yeah, I think the Lord just kind of worked it out for me, and I said, OK, and now here we are.
spk_0
I think it’s important to talk about the fact that passion is something that really kind of can easily open those doors. Says if you already know kind of what you want to do, how you want to do it. But you don’t know how you’re gonna get there If you just follow your passion. It’s gonna all come together.
spk_1
That’s right. And I hate to use the word passion because I feel like it’s kind of sometimes overuse. People say I’m passionate about reading and I’m passionate about. You know, I think sometimes I’m passionate about sleeping, you know, But, uh, but certainly agriculture, I mean, I could just talk for hours about you know what’s helpful for our farmers and how can we open up new trade markets? And how can we, at the end of the day, move the needle for them? You know, let’s get him broadband so they could be more efficient in their operations and help feed people in a, um, in a more efficient, effective way. You know, these. I love having these conversations. And so I guess that does qualify me as passionate role models. But, um, yeah, it’s very special. And, um, before I got my MBA, I was working for the Razorback Foundation. Um, obviously invaluable. And I’m passionate about the Razorbacks. That’s what our family does. And that’s kind of, you know, some families, you know, go to the beach to do differ things Well, we do the rage of Rex and I thought maybe for a little bit I wanted to work in athletics. But, um, you know, eventually realized that agriculture is a little bit higher on my list. Go hawks. Um, but, you know, I think it’s a very It’s a very special thing.
spk_0
You can give me the stats, but right. Arkansas is the largest producer of rice in the country, and in Arkansas is a large agricultural state in general. So where does Rice fit within the state of Arkansas? Within the grant? The country?
spk_1
It sounds like you learned about the talking points, just like keep going s Oh, yes, I’ll give you the little elevator pitch for rice and then we’ll go from there. So Arkansas is the largest rice producing state. Every year we grow rice, approximately half of the nation’s rice on around 1.1 million acres. Um, it contributes $6 billion to the state’s economy every year. There’s a stat that says that every farmer, every rice farmer, generates a $1,000,000 within their local communities. And, you know, as as, you know, our agriculture is the state’s largest industry, rice is not the most valuable in that ranking, I guess, um you know, But it’s certainly substantial. And I will say that even though we represent rice, there’s virtually no such thing as just a rice farmer. And we’ve got a couple, but they’re white whales. Um, so most everyone who farms rice also farm soybeans on. And then, of course, as you know, there’s the poultry industry that that’s up there as well. And lots of other commodities that air ranked in the top. You know, 25 I believe. So, um, that the state is a whole the, uh, agricultural climate, Uh, I believe is $21 billion to the state’s economy. And so again, you know, I don’t understand. Feel like this is a conversation that, you know, you hear all the time about manufacturing or, um, you know, all the great things that are going on in Northwest Arkansas. But I think at the end of the day, um, agriculture is the backbone of our state, and I’m glad that I kind of get to tell that story. And then certainly, you know, people like to be number one and stuff and agriculture’s number one. So here we are,
spk_0
well, and it’s interesting to how it crosses over so many other industries because, um, trucking is another large industry in the state of Arkansas and global. I mean, you know, most people don’t think of the trucking industry globally as this big industry, but it’s huge. And Arkansas, I don’t remember what the number of can I think. There’s over 300 trucking companies that are members of the Arkansas Trucking Association. So you look at it from a a big statewide standpoint and trucking effects rising. You know, rice for me and the way that the rice moves and everything else. So it’s I love to talk about the cross section of industries. So what else is there kind of a cross section when you look at at what all the rice industry, uh, effects,
spk_1
so trekking for sure. In fact, we’ve been having conversations with the Arkansas Department of Transportation recently because of Harvests or deering harvest. Obviously, there’s lots of logistics that go into that in certain permits that are, folks have to apply for to ensure that they are compliant with state regulations and federal regulations to when it comes to interstate highways. Um, so you know that for sure. Um, a lot of folks don’t know that there’s background extra rice. So rice starts in its raw form. Um, is then when it goes to the milling process, first the husk comes off. Um, and that leaves a layer of brand. Um, and that’s your brown rice. A lot of people don’t know that brown rice and white rights or the same thing. So once you polish the brand off, then it becomes white rice. But I say that to say that those byproducts contribute to other industries like I’m betting for chicken houses. Or sometimes the husks are even part of the conversation for energy sources. So there’s certainly other aspects that the industry travels to, um, explorer so that they can used the entire product.
spk_0
Very cool. So speaking of rice products, one of my favorites is Cauliflower Rice, right?
spk_1
It’s not a real thing night,
spk_0
so Well, let’s let’s dive into this for a minute. I think it’s it’s it’s Ah, anybody that knows you knows that you’re very passionate about this vaccine passion. I
spk_1
really am passionate about this. That
spk_0
s Oh, So tell me about cauliflower rice.
spk_1
Sure, sure. So Well, there’s no such thing as cauliflower rice. What is? Yeah, I know. Shocker. I know, but, um, and actually, legally in Arkansas, because this past legislative session, we just passed a law that defined the word rice. Um, it gave a standard of identity to that four letter word. A standard of identity really just sets out a definition so that there’s no dispute or debate over what that actually means. And so you’ll see this done. This is a very common thing, but typically it’s done at the federal level. Ah, lot of the intent of this legislation was to encourage the FDA to do their job in developing that standard of identity. You’ve likely seen these conversations happening recently at the federal level with milk on and also meat products. And so, um, we passed that legislation at the state level. Um, I believe they are promulgating those rules right now. Um, but the background is that a ricer is a kitchen tool until we’re seeing these companies that are actually rising cauliflower. But they’re calling it cauliflower rice. Just because you put it there. A riser does not make it rice as you and I know Nate Rice is a grain. It comes out of the ground. It’s not a shape, but on a serious no. You know, I would just say that, um, rice as a grain obviously has a different nutritional profile than something like cauliflower. And so as a consumer, if you purchase something on the shelf that says Rice, where you expect that the nutritional profile, that is what you’re, let’s say, feeding your family. Um, it’s not a vegetable, and it should not be thought of as such. Same goes for a vegetable. So let’s say you buy. I call a quote unquote club qualifier rice, which is now illegal in Arkansas. But, uh, let’s that you purchase that and feed it to your child, thinking that it’s a carb because it says rice. Um, but your child developed Taibo glassy me because they didn’t get to the nutrition that they needed because you thought you were giving them a carbon. You actually gave them a vegetable. And now here we are. But really, at the end of the day, this is about consumers, um, and them knowing what their purchasing and what they’re feeding their families. You know, we welcome those products We just want consumers to know what their purchasing. These companies have made it very clear that their intent is to brand it as actual rice. In fact, there’s one company, right, Rice, their CEO, was quoted as saying. Um, in fact, many consumers don’t even know it’s not Rice, and that’s obviously a problem. Um, and so you know, the A. G’s office has has defended the law is saying It’s inherently misleading labelling, which is, you know, it’s just, you know, it’s frankly, it’s not, um and so that was, Ah, project that we worked on last year, too, to try toe set the record straight so that everyone knows that rice is a grain. It’s on a shape.
spk_0
So became law in Arkansas. But this this went much bigger than that, right? It was a conversation well outside of Arkansas.
spk_1
That’s right. Yes. So we got some some interesting media coverage out of that. Um, and you know, I think we’ve seen some of these companies revising their labels, cause you can. They are able to you, at least in Arkansas, they can say rice. I mean, that’s a verb. You can’t really that subjective. But rice has a noun, Um, is not is not. But I would also say Louisiana passed some similar legislation. And again, this is hopefully in theory, just to kind of equip FDA. Teoh, you know, set the record straight. On a federal national standpoint,
spk_0
it seems to be working.
spk_1
Yeah, we’re still pushing it.
spk_0
Yeah, Yeah, I’m sure it’s an uphill battle that will, you know that
spk_1
it’s a process. That’s right. But every chance we get toe touch base with them about it we’re pushing for and we’re also having some congressional conversations on the national level as well.
spk_0
Super cool. Um, so I would kind of consider that among the, um, in the category of kind of innovations in the industry, Right. So you’re doing things that are sort of unconventional, helping kind of push legislation and changing the way people view rice as a grain versus of vegetable. What else is happening in the industry that you would look at and say There’s some really cool things having really innovative things?
spk_1
Sure. Well, you know, when we come to work, I would say a lot of what we try to do is handle things that our farmers I don’t have time to handle themselves. That can essentially add value to not only what they do every day, but the product that they grow to feed us and our families and our neighbors and the world. Rice plays a significant role in food aid again in countries all around the world again, a lot of that is storytelling. And so I’m just trying to think, I would say one, um, new kind of outside of the box thing that we did this year that was wildly successful was starting a program called Rice Rips. And so, um, a couple years ago, we started Ah Rice license plate through the state, and that gave us the resource is and the funding to start a scholarship program and said This past spring we opened up the application period, I guess, and it’s four at that point. It was folks who were juniors who would complete the program over that summer and then their senior years when it would end. And, you know, I had no idea what kind of interest we would have. We had done some other scholarship programs before, but they just there wasn’t very much participation, and I wanted to make sure that we’re good stewards of these resource is, and we implement programs in ways that will actually help move the needle in measurable ways. And so we opened the application period and we had over 200 kids apply from all over the state, some from ag background, some not for mag backgrounds. And so that was really, I guess, humbling. Just to know that these kids are interested in learning more about the industry, whether they’re from and add background or not. Um and so we wound up accepting around 50 kids, and I didn’t want it to be. I didn’t want there to be a lot of mandatory things. I wanted it to be very autonomous and whatever they were interested in to take advantage of that, we could equip them with the tools that they needed to tell our story and to learn more about the industry in that process. Um, and a potential career in agriculture later, I just wanted to provide all those things. And so, um, we had different different field days. We did a cooking class for them with the division of Agriculture. We, um, took him to one of our farmers operations. Deering. I guess he was irrigating at that point until it was really interesting to see kind of the wheels turning as they saw these things. And and we’re learning and posting about him and telling their friends about, you know, the industry and what that means. And then in September, we gave out the final scholarships and, um, wound up giving out over $15,000 to these students. Um, some of you know, many of which will go study agriculture and they’re in higher education. And, you know, again, I was just really pleasantly surprised at, um, you know, at the feedback that we got, um, and also just the folks that we have been able to reach and again tell that story through kids that are interested in it.
spk_0
So half this conversation’s been about storytelling, Which, of course, I love because that’s what I do. But so when you think about these high school kids being able to go out and tell stories, did they just naturally get it? Was there a lot of disconnect or or did you feel like it was like a really kind of organic process that they just figured it out.
spk_1
That’s funny that you said were gaining because that was about to say that. But, uh, yeah, you know, I wanted it to be. You can be as creative as you want in the activities that you choose to do or not to dio. And, you know, we’re here to support that and to answer any questions that you might have. Ah, some of I mean, they did a really good job, and I was really impressed with them. Some of them took the initiative to set up their own farm tours with some of some of these farmers. And some of my members were calling saying and I said, Is this a thing like, am I supposed to? You know, I’ve had students reaching out to me, and that was not facilitated by us. That may be encouraged, but ah, you know, it was it was very rewarding to be able Teoh kind of create, I guess a platform for those conversations toe happen. A lot of these kids went to you know, girl stay together, boy, stay together and have developed relationships that they will continue. And I hope that they can. I’m not just benefit from the new friendships but also kind of collaborate with, um, other peers that share similar interests in promoting the state’s largest industry.
spk_0
I want to drive a little further into this because I think it’s interesting. I talked a lot about replicating and multiplying messages, right, The whole point of video and audio and everything is you want to multiply your message, you don’t you, Lauren, don’t have to go say the same thing over and over and over. Um, so I think a lot of industries, a lot of brands can can sort of take this approach and use, you know, high school kids, people that are interested in passionate about an industry or or product or whatever it is, and turn them into ambassadors that can go and sort of spread the word, tell the message through their own eyes. But did you ever feel like you were losing control of the brand or the story or anything like that? I’m curious, just from ah control standpoint, cause a lot of brands. I mean, they’re very particular strict brand got things like that, and then a lot of industries don’t want the wrong message, so was that ever Ah, fear that kind of live in
spk_1
Absolutely so. And I can understand that, cause we’ve done other projects where we’ve maybe worked with bloggers or something than you know, these air, the talking points and this is the logo. And this is I mean, like, you’re saying the brand, but I didn’t want to give these kids too much structure. I didn’t want them to have to go by checklist. I wanted to again provide these experiences, and resource is for them. And then I wanted them to curate that however they saw fit because that organic story toe hate just keep saying storytelling. I
spk_0
would like a word ever
spk_1
painting that picture organically. I felt like was a lot more valuable than me giving them some sort of canned pitch. Um, you know, this is what you know, maybe one rice rep took from the farm tour, and she thought it was interesting that, you know, our farmer has saved this much water in this much time. But maybe this restaurant up took away something completely different about, you know, feeding the world or, you know, other great things that farmers do. So, um, I really didn’t want to provide that. That structure that sometimes people are very particular. Sometimes I and I am very particular about
spk_0
Yeah, well, I think perspective is good, right? And to your point, this this allows you to get different perspectives from different people. Um, but I think it’s such a fascinating, an interesting concept to take high school students and let them go tell the story from their own eyes. And if you don’t lose too much control and it doesn’t become fake news, so I think you’re OK, Yes. Was the public’s perception like I mean, I think a lot of times we we want toe think people won’t get it. But I also think people are smarter than what they are saying. That the public get it. Like these kids.
spk_1
Yeah, well, we had some feedback from our students saying that they would have their followers reach out and say, I didn’t know you were into rice, but that would just create again a workday in a conversation in which the student was able to say, Well, I wasn’t really. But, you know, if you think about it honestly, we all should be, because when agriculture successful. When our farmers are successful, our whole state is successful. Um, and that’s, you know, something that no, everyone realizes until you kind of put two and two together.
spk_0
Yeah. Okay. I want to shift gears just a little bit. Talk to me a little bit about on kind of a national level. Arkansas being the largest producer of rice in the country. California things number two. That right?
spk_1
That sounds right. Yeah, I believe that,
spk_0
Um but I guess going back to where you and I first met was in at Five Oaks Live? Yes. And outside. Are you USA, Right. So that’s kind of what I wanted to talk about is you’ve got a federal organization, and then every state has their own. But we met through it was Sara’s Weeknight Meals, a TV show that was sponsored by USC Rice. And we went made like rice balls, fried rice, which was a farmer recipe. So there’s a lot of interesting connections in ways that the rice industry as a whole starting at the federal level, is kind of pushing the use of rice promoting it in different ways. Um, So how do you interact with other organizations outside of Arkansas.
spk_1
So we have a very close working relationship with our friends at us. A rise in back. They’ve got two staffers who work here in this little rock office, and it’s very beneficial for us to all be able to communicate. I’m on a daily basis and be on the same page. Josh Hankins and Emily would all our are here. They are more focused on conservation efforts, but you know, farmers were the first conservationist they depend on. Natural resource is to you, continue producing a safe and quality food supply. And so that’s something that’s very important. And I’m top of mind for them. And so, you know, the role that Josh and Emily play here is is very important and crucial to what they do every day on a federal. On a national level are USA Rice Offices, based in Arlington, Virginia. So just outside of D. C. And they have a staff of just over about 20 folks who you, um, at a lot of value to what are farmers do. And, um, you know, from the communications point specifically again, we work in tandem with their team because we’re the number one rush producing state and really tried to make sure that we’re all on the same page that, you know, the right hand talks to the left hand so weekend will complement each other and not recreate the will. That’s one of my biggest pet, PGE’s. Why’re we re created what? Someone already did this? We don’t know, Um and they’ve got some really talented folks up there that, you know, that worked again, push our message. Unfortunately, in the US, we’re seeing an increase in imported rice into the U. S. And I think a lot of that is because of consumer preferences for some of these aromatics. You know, jazz, mons, buzz Mahdi’s things like that. But we’re actually growing those here, which is good. Um, and so but just telling that story, you know, look for the USA Rice label, you know, support local farmers. This is how you can do that. And this is what that means to our economy in in the how beneficial it is when you support those farmers. So we do lots of neat things with them. Last year, they brought theme think rice truck to Arkansas, and we they went on a road trip all across the US and they, in fact, just started doing that again this year. I’m in the Northeast, but, um, you know, giving out rice cookers and encouraging rice consumption. And, you know, a lot of the feedback that that we all got from that was, you know, we grew rice here, which is crazy. And like you had to dry, especially in Little Rock. You had to drive past a rice field to get here. So let’s have this conversation. Um, so that’s just one example of some of the neat project we’ve also worked with. We just completed rice month recently, which is in September, but USA Rise partnered with some local restaurants to do a, um, influence or food tour. We also Arkansas rice partnered with local restaurants to do some 70 September promotional. Ah, campaigns. Um, and so we also work with them very closely on a policy level, obviously, um, you know, they do lots of work that is very influential, too. Things that affect our farmers every day. Um, so
spk_0
that there’s
spk_1
probably a lot of things on the down.
spk_0
Um, Well, speaking of things like that, So right here we’ve got second Rodeo beer. Um, so tell me this story behind this and and kind of how this came to be and the significance of it,
spk_1
and as a bow she may know, is the largest domestic consumer of Arkansas grown rice. Um, not all. Obviously, beer manufacturers use rice, but Anheuser Busch certainly does. And I feel like you can taste it when you drink their beer. Um, however, Rice has recently been seen, I would say, kind of as a step child in craft beer, and we have really been having for a couple years now, we’ve been having more and more conversations with some of our local breweries about incorporating rice into their beers because of what it the crispiness that it can add to the beer. The 1st 1 that we did was with stones through, um and then now we have a canned beer. That’s with Lost 40 and it’s called Second Rodeo. And again it uses Arkansas grown rice. Um, you know, and they were very concerned about telling that story and really capturing, you know, this is the face of of the farmer and this is the farm where this rice was grown, Um, And so we got to do some really fun things with them as far as capturing that and developing that and telling that story, and we’re still continuing to do that. Um, in fact, I think this will be in stool in Wal Marts soon. Now, which is news. I’m very
spk_0
actually, we’re kind of on a regional level. Do you know,
spk_1
um, I believe that lost forties only distributed on the state level. Okay, but Wal Mart in Kroger’s in organs are we’ll have it. And, uh, yeah. So that was just a fun project. We’re also working with Rob town right now to distill a rice bourbon. Um, and that’s been a very long process. I don’t know if you know anything about distilling bourbon. I certainly do not. Um, but we’re working with Phil Brandon over there and and his team. Um and we’re really excited about that. I think it will come out in a couple months.
spk_0
Phil is a fascinating guy. When I first moved Arkansas, one of the very first videos I ever made was of rock time distillers.
spk_1
Really? It’s such a neat
spk_0
stories, really cool story. And the thing that blew me away more than anything. Is Phil’s walking around tasting these bourbons at, like, 9 a.m. Thing product. You know, insurance. Are there any specific concerns regarding the state of the industry that you know are on your radar that people need to kind of be considered off?
spk_1
One is the fact that consumers don’t really understand the risk that farmers absorbed to put a crop in the ground. Um, I mean, these folks risk millions of dollars during planting season every year, and they do it knowing that prices are volatile markets or risky. Who knows what the trade calm. It’s gonna look like tomorrow, Um, and even Oh, and don’t even talk about weather and flooding. So even with all of that uncertainty, they accept it just to put a crop in the ground and in any other industry you were return is gonna be proportionate to your risk. But with farming, that’s not the case. And I don’t think that farmers get enough credit for accepting that risk. Um, when you know, often they don’t. I mean, they’re going out of business every day. That’s no secret. And so, you know, I certainly think it’s something worth recognizing and something we’re talking about appreciating and just for agriculture in general, I think that you may be used to things were very seasonal, and farmers kind of had Amman set of this will blow over. You know, we the prices will be better next year or things like that. And margins are so low right now that we can’t operate that way. Um, and you know, farmers obviously know that, but I think we cannot use the excuse of because that’s the way we’ve always done it. And, um, and ironically, I guess it’s almost kind of encouraging to me sometimes when, ah, you know, unfortunately, here, maybe a farmer say that, Well, we’ve never done that before and yeah, well, we don’t really have a you know, we’ve got Teoh whether it’s adopting new technologies that help us, you know, save water that we used to irrigate or gauge soul moisture levels to again to irrigate more efficiently, or, um, you know, measuring things that we want to track. Um, you know, when we’ve got some really progressive folks and some of those technologies again are are being successfully adopted and deployed. Um, I think we just have to continue pushing for increased efficiencies. Um, and you know, again these new technologies, because you know, legacies and, um, I guess tradition really have a lot of these operations depends on them. Continuing to, um, be more effective and efficient.
spk_0
There’s ah, conference I go to every year in Los Angeles called Worlds and founder and CEO of the conference. His name’s Roman Sunder Roman gets on stage and kicks things off, and he says, We’re here to do the n b D B, which has never been done before. And he’s talking about the idea of bringing cultural icons and world class marketers and CEOs together to kind of come up with what can we do that’s never been done before? That’s gonna help shift a culture shift industry shift. You know, brands into new ways of doing things, because we can’t always just do it the way it’s been done. We need to seek out what’s never been done before, and it sounds like that’s the exact same thing going on in this industry as well,
spk_1
right? I mean and changes, you know, obviously uncomfortable a lot of times, but sometimes you just have to accept it and embrace it and just try to figure out how to navigate it in interest, that you will figure it out in a better way. I would say, you know, the Rice reps program was a perfect example of that. We went from having, you know, a program with no participation, no amplification. Um, that did not utilize social media at all. And I just you know, look, we This is where we are today. These conversations are happening whether we’re part of them or not, and they’re happening on the internet. And, um, you know, we’ve got to get there. You know, I think if you put some thought into it and some strategy into it, um, you know, and think about what actually makes the most sense, you just kind of jump sometimes.
spk_0
Yeah, well, I love, and that’s one of the reasons. I mean, we’re talking. I think off camera about the idea that, you know, um, you don’t strike me as the stereotypical person that I would see as the executive director of agricultural industry, but it’s it’s because of the things you’re doing and all these amazing things. I’m not gonna ask your age, but thank you. You’re significantly younger and less gray headed than the person I would maybe hysteria that we put in the chair. But I think it’s it’s showing that these are the kinds of things that takes. This is the thinking. This is the way to move an industry forward and make sure that we’re still relevant in years to come.
spk_1
That’s right. Well, I think I appreciate that. But, you know, and I’ve always thought night that more time. More often than not, you just have to be willing to work Carter than other people are not. You know, I feel like I certainly am, Um but yeah, I think that it’s just something that I genuinely care about and do. I work with lots of men who have daughters my age. Absolutely. But I feel like I can hold my own, and I feel like I’ve earned their trust. Um, And I have you know, enough street credit, um, Teoh to be able to operate effectively. And, um, you know, it’s been, I think, from a professional standpoint, um, you know, my business partner is also a woman, and ah, we’ve had some, um, learning opportunities. Um, but e I mean, we do a good job. Ah, and you know, I’m proud of the work we do. I’m proud of the progress we make. I’m I’m also proud of the clients that we represent. Becky and I started, came award. It was something that the Lord kind of worked out, and it happened very quickly. And, um, it was another thing where we jumped and had to trust the fact that we were gonna work hard enough to make it work. Ah, and we did.
spk_0
That’s awesome, I think, shifting gears to the business side for a minute. I think a lot of people won’t have their own businesses want to jump off and kind of company things. But talk about the importance of Becky, your business partner, and and sort of the complementary nature of y’all’s relationships.
spk_1
Well, she’s the most important. So let me just be clear. See? Make sure that we do all the important things. I kind I’m just the big picture dreamer. She tells me like that’s more in. That’s not the budget war. You know, you’re supposed to be here at that. I mean, she is. She is the brains behind the operation for sure. And, um, you know, I don’t know. I’m fortunate to certainly have her is a best friend, but I don’t know how I looked into convincing her to go in on something 50 50 with me where we are 50 50. But I would tell people that she’s my boss because, well, she is, um in fact, she had a baby. Not that about seven months ago now. And, you know, we had prepared for maternity leave. You know, we’ve coordinated with, um, our staff and knew kind of what that was gonna look like. And it was fun. We didn’t go j like, you know, we did get a letter from the iris at one point. Oh, no, this is it. But it was a credit. Anyway,
spk_0
you leave more off.
spk_1
So So I was prepared for all of that, but I waas your was not prepared for my best friend to be tied up for, you know, eight weeks or whatever. I mean, I would be at a luncheon, a business luncheon, and I would text her and say, you ask your question about who is that one person that I need to touch base with this and she would not reply for something like 30 minutes. And I am just think. What is she? It’s like she’s raising a child or something. Why can she not take me back? So, uh, yeah, but she’s She’s really amazing, and I I feel like we complement each other very well. She’s She’s very type a, um, very organized, and I kind of shoot from the hip and some somehow we meet in the middle on that. I don’t know how she deals with me, but, um, I certainly appreciate it very much.
spk_0
We’ll conversation we had earlier today with producer Lauren of the podcast here she brought up the idea of, ah, another guy named Jeremy Cowart who’s a celebrity and entertainment photographer out of Nashville. He does a lot of amazing work, but he he has a business partner named Michael, and Jeremy refers to Michael as the peanut butter and Jeremy’s the jelly. So you’ve got a peanut butter Italian and every good business relationship, Um, somebody that’s sort of the structured, sticky one. Make sure, yes, and I have the base, and then the jelly that just kind of is all over the place and a little bit crazy. And, you know, but but the same time that we’re both are equally important to have a great sandwich. So, um, bring that one full circle.
spk_1
Yeah, well, I you know, I always heard peanut butter and jelly, but the runny structure part that makes a lot more sense now. Yeah, we’re the way where I get it.
spk_0
Eso What’s next on the horizon? What big things air to come or what are you working on that that’s exciting and fun. Um,
spk_1
yeah. Eso farmers are in harvest right now. Um, so we have been kind of dreaming about this event for a couple years. Um, and this year has, or I hope it is going to you from coming to fruition. So at the end of October, we will do an event that’s called downtown on the farm. So I walk you through a little bit of maybe what that thought process looks like in the strategy and why we’re doing that. But, um, as I already said, you know, Agriculture State’s largest industry. So I thought, Well, there’s nothing that really talks about agriculture in Arkansas, and there’s nothing that brings all these commodity groups together. You know, again, I know I work for Rice, but I am just pro agriculture in general. Um and so I thought, What if we did something that we all collaborated on and just kind of told that story? You know, explain to consumers and folks in quote unquote urban Arkansas, I eat literally, um, how farmers or preserving natural resource is and growing food for them and, um, different organic conversations like that, I guess. And so we came up with downtown on the farm. And, um, you know, we’ve constantly been having to have this conversation of agriculture in areas like Little Rock. A lot of times will partner with the downtown literate partnership for obvious reasons, but they do a really good job of, well, frankly, throwing parties and really getting folks to show up to events. And we are friends with those folks over there again. They just do an outstanding job. And so at the end of October will have this event, and so we’ll have live music. Um, we’re bringing in on Arkansas native who I think is in Nashville now. Adam Hambrick. He’s the headliner. Um and then some local music acts as well. But then there will be your standard. You know, food, trucks, vendors, um, you know, pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, face painting, petting zoo. Um, let’s see, what am I missing? Um, so all that kind of stuff. But then also, we’re partnering with local restaurants so that folks can see the entire farm to table process. Um, we are, um, partnering with other like agriculture, educational entities. So, like the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, the Game and Fish Commission, different entities like that just to have that conversation that a lot of consumers don’t know about. And so I’m so close to this I didn’t really have a good gauge to know if it would be successful or not, and we haven’t had the event. But when we have the press conference, we just got so much coverage about just earned media about, you know, what is it and what does it look like? And when is it? And and so that was really encouraging. But then I realized that we were kind of like the dog that caught the car, and, um and, you know, we jumped right in and so, but planning for that has been great, and it’s it’s gonna be hopefully very successful. Um, and something that we can continue in the future, um, again, just to talk to consumers about where their food comes from.
spk_0
I love it. Well, by the time it airs, the event will have happened. So hopefully we can do a little tag on or something at the end here. Yeah. Repair closed. Yeah. Closed the gap on what’s going on. But that’s exciting. I’m looking for I can’t wait. All right, so a few quick questions, that kind of things out. Um, are you a reader? What’s the last book you read or what? Your favorite book.
spk_1
Right now. I’m reading dispatches from PLU Toe. I like to read books. I can kind of relate to you. I’m kind of in the Carol Chlor right now. So he’s an artiste. That’s from Elaine, Arkansas, and went to do really great things. And unfortunately, now his paintings were really expensive. But, um, I like him because he’s from the Arkansas Delta, right? So but dispatches from Plato is about ah, a couple who moved to Pluto’s Mississippi from New York and It talks about all the things that they where that were initially odd to them. But then they realize it’s just kind of part of the Delta in the history that’s associated with it. Um, and that’s about as far as I am into the book right
spk_0
now. I love it. Um, are there any specific daily routines that you like have to go through every single day that, like, you know, help you? They become more productive or beneficial?
spk_1
I try to read this scam. I don’t know if you’re familiar. It’s like a daily email I have to work out in the mornings because if I work out after, well, I don’t work out after work because, you know, you work Glade and then you’re tired and you don’t It does just doesn’t work. I mean, this is work, so I lag toe workout in the mornings, but that only happens about two days week. I mean, quiet times really important to me. So I can, you know, spend time talking to the Lord and try to get my head on straight and focus on things that are actually important. I talked to my twin sister just about every morning on the way to work. When that, you know, that’s just kind of ah thing that we’ve done for a long time. So, uh, I think that’s about it
spk_0
of it. Best piece of advice you either given or received.
spk_1
I’m hesitant to tell you this, but I find myself saying all the time and this goes back to that, not recreating the wheel. So the first thing that popped into my head was work smarter. Not harder just because why, you know, when I try to remind myself of that On a professional standpoint, if I spend my whole day just busy, busy, busy. But at the end of the day, what did you accomplish? You know, is that really moving the needle? Is it you know, being effective ator for our farmers or for backing in our firm or whatever. Um, you know, I try to remind myself of that. You know, don’t need to set 100 meetings you don’t need toe. I feel like young professionals or professionals in general. Really? Just are all the time. Bragg a busy bragging bragging about being busy like that’s your problem. You know, like I’m let’s be real. We’re all busy. So, you know, I tried. I don’t even tell. How are you busy out? Well, really. We all are. So go right ahead. Ah, but you know, I think that there are ways to kind of mitigate a lot of those issues that are self inflicted because I don’t think, you know, it’s not important to spend 60 hours a week at the office. There are ways that you can add value probably more effectively, but not doing that.
spk_0
I love it. Speaking my language. Um, if you wrote a book or had a billboard, what would the title book be or what would your message on a billboard may?
spk_1
Um, let’s say the billboard would probably say, Eat rice that’s so unoriginal. Um, but the book would probably be about twin stories. I feel like I have so many stories about being a twin, you know, funding instances, different things that I’ve learned how I feel sorry for people who are in a twin. I don’t know. I mean, it’s a lot of content. I feel like hopefully she would help me write. The book
spk_0
was about to say it would have Teoh OK, do you have a favorite farmer?
spk_1
Um I mean,
spk_0
I don’t want to get you in trouble here, but come on, we’ve all got
spk_1
Well, let’s be clear. I have a chairman, and he’s my boss, so I feel like I need to be clear, But I also have a board, and they’re all really great. Teoh, um, you know, we have some farmers who are more involved in others. Um, so it’s
spk_0
very PC answer. You can leave it. That
spk_1
s what’s the answer. I love all my Children saying that I don’t have kids. I don’t know how that really works, but, um, be I believe it will leave it there.
spk_0
All right? And if it wasn’t Rice, what would you be doing with your life? I
spk_1
think the cool came out. Rice is that I would probably do it for free. Don’t tell my farmers that because it’s good to be able to pay your bills. Uh, but I mean, I think maquina both are very interested in involved in different organizations that specifically feed hungry our kansans and even, you know, yes, we have our firm, but we come to do that to the side through volunteer capacities Now, Um, Becky used to dio through a professional capacity. And so my initial inclination is to say, we would be me because I really like to eat. And ah, you know, I you know, like, for other people to be able to eat. So I mean, that’s my first thought is that we would help feed people.
spk_0
That’s great.
spk_1
Which is kind of what we do now. So I don’t know if that really counts.
spk_0
Last question. Beer, wine or cocktails.
spk_1
Well, I think I’m really big into being appropriate. So I think if you’re at a baseball game, you need to be drinking Beer
spk_0
Road. Second
spk_1
Rodeo. Where in Hazzard? Brosius? Absolutely. Um, I think if you’re, I don’t know at, you know, a fancy dinner party, maybe wine. However, I think rules can be bent. I don’t think you have to have red wine with your sake. If you want White wanna go right ahead saying with fish? Um, I think pretty much most rules air negotiable. That is one of them. I mean, eso it’s, but that is one that I think’s flexible and has has no wrong answer.
spk_0
So what? I hear you saying is you, like all and do not describe forms for enough. Well, Lauren, thank you so much. This has been a pleasure. Thank.
spk_1
This has been fun. Thank you.
spk_0
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