Rice fields are a major component of the contemporary landscapes in the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and Central Valley of California. In 1996, approximately 625,000 acres of rice were planted in Louisiana. Louisiana has over 2,000 rice farmers supporting over 12,000 jobs in the state. Rice fields in the United States receive high use by wildlife, especially shorebirds, wading birds, and waterfowl.
Waterbirds use rice fields for food, shelter, and breeding habitat.
In Louisiana and California, where rice acreage equals or exceeds that of freshwater marsh, harvested rice fields receive high use by feeding and resting waterbirds in winter and during spring and fall migration. Changes in the distribution and abundance of wading birds in Louisiana since the 1980's are associated with expansion of crayfish aquaculture, which is commonly practiced in rotation with rice. Management of rice fields for wildlife has been promoted by farmers' groups, agricultural extension services, state and federal wildlife agencies, representatives of the rice industry, and private conservation organizations. Local and national rice grower federations have begun programs to promote wildlife use of rice fields. The goal of the rice producers is to flood more than 1 million acres of rice fields for wintering waterfowl.