As Missouri acreage increases, the distribution is shifting to counties east of Crowley's Ridge. Stoddard County grows almost a third of Missouri's rice. New Madrid, Pemiscot and Dunklin counties have been expanding their rice acreage the most rapidly. Ripley County has planted up to 4,000 acres for many years, but has no room for expansion. Minor acreages of rice have been planted in Mississippi, Scott, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties.
Rice farmers are fewer in number, but manage larger operations.
The number of farms in southeast Missouri counties has declined drastically in the last five-year agricultural census period. Butler County farms decreased by 13 percent from 1987 to 1992. Pemiscot County farm numbers decreased an incredible 23 percent in the same period. The number of rice producers in Missouri is estimated at 250 to 350, with over half of them in Butler County. The actual number of producers is difficult to ascertain, since USDA- registered farm numbers include operations divided among family members.