The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday that it will purchase $21 million in U.S.-grown long-grain rice for distribution through domestic nutrition programs. The rice purchase is part of a broader $472.5 million commitment covering American-grown and raised agricultural commodities.
The purchases will be made through the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935. The program uses customs receipts transferred to the department to buy food from U.S. farmers and provide it to nutrition assistance programs.
Rice will go to domestic nutrition programs
The rice is intended for programs including The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which distributes food through a network of food banks and other providers. The USDA said its Section 32 purchases are designed to assist producers while strengthening food supplies for communities receiving federal nutrition assistance.
- $472.5 million in commodities is included in the USDA commitment.
- $21 million is designated for U.S.-grown long-grain rice.
- The commodities will be distributed through domestic nutrition programs, including TEFAP.
Arkansas organizations were among the groups that urged the USDA to make the rice purchase. They included the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Arkansas Rice and the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, along with USA Rice, Feeding America, Feeding Missouri and the Missouri Rice Council.
“On behalf of the U.S. rice industry, we applaud Secretary Brooke Rollins, Under Secretary Dudley Hoskins and Administrator Erin Morris for making this significant Section 32 rice purchase.”
Peter Bachmann, president and CEO of USA Rice, said the commitment would support the domestic rice market while providing a shelf-stable food to people participating in federal nutrition assistance programs. He thanked the USDA for using its Section 32 authority and said the industry would work with federal officials to carry out the purchase.
Prior USDA purchases
During fiscal 2026, the USDA used Section 32 authority to purchase about $730 million in food from American farmers for distribution through domestic nutrition programs. The department said earlier rice purchases in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 were distributed through TEFAP to households served by the program.
Rebeckah Freeman Adcock, chief government relations officer at Feeding America, said the purchase would provide rice growers with an outlet for their crop and add food to the Feeding America network. The USDA’s announcement covers the purchase commitment; rice will be supplied from U.S. production for the domestic nutrition programs identified by the department.
