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March 10, 2017 CapitalPress.com 13 California rice exported around the world By JULIA HOLLISTER For the Capital Press Charley Mathews Jr. grew up in his family’s rice fields. “Like many farm kids, I started to drive a tractor when I was 12, irrigated rice in the summertime, and always par- ticipated when I could for planting and harvest,” he said. He grew up near Marys- ville, Calif., where he still farms. Mathews grows medium, premium medium and sweet rice. The medium and short grain varieties grown in Cal- ifornia have all the character- istics of Japanese rice — soft and sticky — which is prefect for sushi. California is the world’s low-cost producer of sushi rice, and it is marketed around the world. Like most crops, rice faces insect and weed pests, he said. “Since rice is grown in an aquatic environment un- der a continuous flood, many aquatic weeds thrive and compete with rice for sunlight and nutrients,” he said. “The rest of the weeds are drowned by deep water.” Insects are a minor chal- lenge but require constant monitoring, he said. Rice, Mathews said, has historically been viewed as a water-intensive crop. It actu- ally uses about as much water as any other row crop. Courtesy of Brian Baer Charley Mathews Jr., a rice grower near Marysville, Calif., says California is the world’s low-cost producer of sushi rice. Rice is not as labor intensive as other crops and uses only as much water as any other row crop. Rice is grown in heavy clay and hardpan soils that have an impermeable layer below the root zone that does not allow water to percolate downward. This soil type would drown trees and other row crops, but is perfect for rice. It does not suffer from salt buildup or any other long-lasting issues. “I have a rice field that has been in continuous production for almost 80 years,” he said. “The yields seem to go up ev- ery year.” Rice is not as labor-in- tensive as many other crops and growing it is highly mechanized. With expensive machinery to operate, it is important that growers find talented labor who can get the most out of the equipment. “Rice growers have sever- al challenges,” he said. “The ones we face locally have to do with air and water quality, and that fact that we are com- peting with an encroaching urban population that does not like noise or dust.” Through the efforts of the California Rice Commission, he said, new urban neighbors are beginning to understand the environmental and social value of a rice field. IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT BOUGHT. SOLD. RENTAL. Design of Effluent Handling Systems - Gates, Valves & Aerators From PJ, Great Northern, Iron Panther, M.H. EBY, Banens, Others Diamond www.pacsouthwestirr.com Carlos (209) 481-7677 Jim (209) 986-0099 S17-4/#18 TRUCK BEDS starting at $1,850 Trailer Sales Your All Service Dealer 541-369-2755 or 541-740-5135 or 541-953-7548 Halsey, OR View our inventory: diamondksales.com S17-1/#5 S17-7/#7 New & Used Parts • Aluminum Pipe • Certa-lok • Siphon Tubes • HDPE • Sand Media Filters • Wheel Lines • Pumps
