California Farmers Finds a Smarter Way to Grow Rice

Christopher and Bruce of Lopes Farms were recently featured on California Insider podcast. “It was an amazing opportunity to share our story on such a fun, progressive and cool platform. Many thanks to Siyamak Khorrami and California Insider. That was fun!”

Farming in California isn’t easy with rising costs, drought, and market pressures. But one farming family is rethinking rice farming with a centuries-old Japanese technique that uses ducks instead of chemicals. This approach cuts water use, improves soil health, and brings high-quality rice directly to schools and farmers' markets. In this episode, they share how they transitioned from traditional farming to a direct-to-consumer model, navigating drought, supply chain struggles, and the challenges of organic agriculture. Could this be a model for sustainable farming in California? Full video interview here