Main navigation Follow Us Contact Us Social Media Navigation Sustainably Sourcing Rice Far The Future Eyebrow Sustainability Plan Heading Sustainably Sourcing Rice Far The Future Subheading Preserving the Rice Crop For Generations Rice is a staple for half the global population, so it needs to be protected. As the maker of UNCLE BEN’S®, the world’s largest global rice brand, we are working to create a sustainable rice supply that can help support business growth and the nutritional needs of a growing population. As always, we’re challenging ourselves to transform how we do business today, to help create the world we want to see tomorrow. And how our products’ rice is grown plays a big part. Through our Sustainable in a Generation Plan, Mars committed to receiving 100 percent of our rice from farmers working toward Sustainable Rice Platform standards by 2020. We’ve seen incredible progress. According to our 2017-2018 Report, we’re now getting 73 percent of our rice from farmers working toward those standards—up 63 percent from 2016. THE SUSTAINABLE RICE PLATFORM As a proud leading member of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance led by the UN, we’re working with dozens of government agencies, private companies, and NGOs like World Wildlife Fund, Oxfam and GIZ. To increase sustainably sourced rice and support farming communities, SRP launched the first global standard for sustainable rice in 2015. Members developed a set of criteria for reducing the environmental footprint of rice production and helping people thrive including: Productivity Food safety Worker health Labor rights RESEARCHING LOWER-IMPACT RICE Improving sustainability takes research, which is why we’re partnering with the University of California-Davis and the University of Arkansas to study the “alternate wetting and drying” watering technique. We’ve found it can reduce water use by 30 percent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent—all without reducing rice yield! So we’ve introduced this technique to our U.S. farmers, and are doing the same in Spain and almost 5,000 rice farmers in Asia. As well we support rice farmers improving laser levelling, maintaining optimum soil moisture, improving underground pipes and concrete-lined water channels and direct seeding. AND THE RESULTS In Pakistan we have seen a 32 percent increase in farmer income and a 17 percent increase in yield. Muhammad Idris, a rice farmer in the village of Sidham Pakistan, says “I have been a contract farmer for the last three years. They have a quality team that visits us regularly and advises us on what to do and what not to do including pesticide and fungicide usage and timing. Because of this my crop quality has improved." In the U.S., Jim Whitaker in California has also seen serious improvements thanks to SRP techniques. “Using innovative rice-farming methods supported by Mars Food, I’ve been able to use 20 percent less fertilizer, 50 percent less water and become one of the first U.S. rice growers to sell carbon offsets, using the California Cap and Trade Compliance market.” As more farmers learn sustainable rice farming techniques—and more manufacturers commit to sourcing sustainable rice—we can greatly improve the sustainability of the global rice supply and make sure this crucial crop is around for generations to come. Call To Action Mars #ProudlyMars: How Associates Practice Inclusion and Diversity Every Day Mars Geena Davis Institute Gender Representation Results Mars Why We Know Pets Work at Work Mars Taking Responsibility to Rebuild Coral Reefs Mars Edge The Power of Belonging: The Heart of Innovation at Mars Mars Wrigley Creating a Deforestation-Free Global Cocoa Supply Chain Mars MITZ and Mars Celebrate Success With Trash-to-Treasure Project Mars Wrigley Master Chocolatier Shares His Mars Career Journey Load More More from Mars Footer Primary Contact Us Careers Follow Us: Footer Secondary Privacy Statement Cookies Notice Legal Site Map Mars Alumni CA Supply Chain Transparency Act Modern Slavery Act Accessibility Locations Ad choices Cookie Settings © 2020 Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved