It’s been a struggle, but most of the U.S. rice crop that was going to be planted in 2015 has gone in the ground. Now farmers can turn their attention toward what they may be able to get for their crop when harvest rolls around.

To that end, Nathan Childs, senior economist with USDA’s Economic Research Service, will provide an update on the U.S. and world rice markets during a University of Arkansas’ Food and Agribusiness Webinar Series event at 1:30 p.m. Friday (May 22).

Dr. Childs needs no introduction to rice farmers. He’s been a featured speaker at the USA Rice Outlook Conference almost since its inception in 1994 and has been providing detailed analysis of the rice markets to the rice industry for more than 23 years.

The Webinar, “2015-16 U.S. and Global Rice Outlook with Nathan Childs, Agricultural Economist, USDA Economic Research Service,” will be hosted by Dr. Bobby Coats, professor, University of Arkansas. Joining him will be Tony Franco and Anita Wilson of USDA’s Farm Service Agency; Brandy Carroll, Arkansas Farm Bureau; and Forrest Laws, Farm Press.

Dr. Childs has been analyzing the domestic and international rice markets for USDA's Economic Research Service since 1996.

Prior to that appointment, he was associate editor and economic editor for ERS’ monthly Agricultural Outlook magazine for more than five years. He has also worked as a food grain economist with ERS.

He has published reports on global trade liberalization, U.S. farm policy, domestic rice consumption, the U.S. rice export market, Southeast Asia’s rice surplus, the structure of the U.S. rice market, and the 2008 global rice price surge. 

Dr. Childs participates in all rice-related monthly interagency meetings and writes the monthly Rice Outlook Report. He also updates the Rice Yearbook Tables and develops domestic and international rice forecasts for USDA’s 10-year Baseline project. 

Over the years, he has been involved three Emerging Market Projects—Taiwan (1992, 1993), China (1997), and Vietnam (2007); and he’s traveled to Haiti several times to assist the Haitian Government in increasing rice capacity.

To register for Friday’s webinar.