A group of ARE affiliates, including PhD students and faculty, set off for Butte County, CA on Friday September 6, 2019 on a rice farm tour. Trip stops included a visit to rice fields, Oroville Dam, the Butte County Rice Growers Association, and the Rice Experiment Station. Students enjoyed the opportunity to ask rice farmers about irrigation and weed management, the impacts of environmental regulation, and the decision to grow organic.

A special thanks goes to our hosts: Steve Rystrom, Bryce Lundberg, Carl Hoff, and Kent McKenzie!

Aerial View of Oroville Dam (Source: California Department of Water Resources)

Butte County Rice Field