Riviana Foods Inc. announced Success Rice will partner with a group of farmers in Arkansas who are farming rice sustainably. The company will work with SAI Platform's Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA), a toolset for farms and companies in agricultural value chains that helps assess, improve and verify on-farm sustainability performance. Riviana Foods will purchase rice from these farmers (using a mass balance approach) in an amount that is equal to the volume of its Success Rice white and brown rice consumption. 

"We consider sustainable agricultural practices to be essential, not only from a good stewardship standpoint, but also as a fundamental business principle," says Erica Larson, director of marketing at Riviana Foods. "To ensure a better future, it is crucial we prioritize support for farmers who engage in sustainable practices."

In utilizing the insights provided through the FSA partnership, Riviana Foods can advance sustainable agriculture through focused farm support. By working with a group of local Arkansas farmers known as a Farm Management Group, Riviana Foods manages this group as its Farm Management Group Coordinator. These farmers grow rice that will be sourced by Riviana Foods and implement FSA Silver level practices to create a sustainable operation that produces verified sustainably grown rice. 

Supporting sustainable farming efforts is part of the Success Rice's Growing for Tomorrow initiative. It's also part of Riviana Foods' five pillars of sustainability, which focus on reductions around waste, energy, emissions, water and packaging.