Sustainable Rice Science

How do we grow rice sustainably?

AgriCapture’s Senior Agronomist, Lee Atwill, PhD, monitors recommendations from national and state conservation programs, peer-reviewed journal articles, and grower input.

We use the latest evidence from academia and practitioners to provide our farmers, third-party verifiers, and customers with the best management practices for sustainably grown rice.

Learn more about our sustainability practices and underlying agronomic science in this FAQ from Lee.

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Senior Agronomist Advisor

Lee Atwill, PhD

Read more about the FAQ author

With a Ph.D. in Agronomy, Lee offers agronomic guidance on regenerative farming practices to farmers enrolled in AgriCapture’s programs. He also provides insights on agronomic crop and soil science for the Field Data, Carbon Projects, and Marketing teams.

Lee’s contributions improve the scientific rigor of AgriCapture’s Climate-Friendly Rice and Soil Enrichment Protocol programs, assisting farmers as they implement cultivation practices that improve overall farm sustainability and profitability.

In his previous position as a Field Data and Technology Manager, he oversaw data collection to verify the sustainable cultivation of rice, cotton, and wheat.

As a Research and Extension Associate at Mississippi State University, Lee focused on water and nitrogen management practices for mid-south US rice production, with an emphasis on irrigation strategies like Alternate Wetting and Drying and Furrow Irrigated Rice. He also conducted research on irrigation systems that conserve water and enhance overall quality.

Additionally, Lee owns two businesses: Atwill Farms where he farms soybeans, corn and rice, and Delta Irrigation Design where he provides irrigation consulting services for rice and row crops.

Education:
Mississippi State University; major, Agronomy; Ph.D. 2021
Mississippi State University; major, Agronomy; M.S. 2015
Arkansas State University; major, Chemistry; B.S. 2012

Sustainable Rice 101

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1

Why do rice fields produce methane?

Continuously flooded rice paddies create anaerobic conditions where microbes decompose organic matter, producing methane.

Rice plants have aerenchyma (air channels) that transport methane from the roots to the atmosphere.

Methane is released through the plant’s shoots and leaves, as well as directly from the soil and water surface.

2

What are the water benefits of sustainably grown rice?

Water Quantity

Sustainably grown rice is grown using alternate wetting and drying (AWD) or furrow irrigation (FIR). Both of these practices reduce irrigation needs by up to 50% compared to conventionally flooded rice. This equates to 18 million gallons of water remaining in the aquifer for a single 40-acre field.

Water Quality

The growing hypoxia “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico is attributed to an increased flow of fertilizer, sediment, and chemicals from fields and surfaces along the Mississippi River watershed.

Using surface water (streams, rainfall) instead of groundwater for rice irrigation reduces or prevents those contaminants from flowing downstream.

Compared to a conventionally flooded rice field using groundwater, a 40-acre field using AWD and surface water would reduce the following amounts from flowing downstream:

  • 5,500 lbs of Nitrogen
  • 470 lbs of Phosphorus
  • 1000 lbs of Potassium
  • 190,000 lbs of sediment (equivalent to 0.015 inches of topsoil)
3

How does sustainably grown rice compare to conventional rice?

Compared to conventionally grown rice, fields that are enrolled in AgriCapture’s Sustainably grown rice program:

  • Significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions through alternate wetting/drying and furrow irrigation
  • Promote aquifer sustainability through reduced irrigation and water saving management practices
  • Improve downstream water quality by using surface water rather than groundwater, reducing the off-site transport of fertilizer and chemicals to the Gulf of Mexico
  • Reduce the amount of inorganic arsenic accumulated in the grain
  • Promote farmer sustainability through grain premiums and emissions reductions
4

How does sustainably grown rice compare to organic rice?

Organic rice production is typically water-intensive and produces lower yields than conventional rice. If we want to feed a growing population sustainably, we have to consider alternatives like sustainable rice.

One pound of sustainably grown and milled rice is grown using 200 gallons of water less than a pound of organic rice.

Sustainably grown rice reduces global warming potential per pound of rice by 79%.

Compared to organic, sustainable rice practices:

  • Maintain or improve high yields
  • Require significantly less irrigation
5

Is sustainably grown rice the same as other rice? How do these practices impact nutrition?

Sustainable rice is grown using AWD or FIR irrigation techniques, which is proven to reduce the amount of inorganic arsenic that is accumulated in the grain.

Plus, our program ensures that rice grown under sustainable practices is source certified and identity preserved through the supply chain.

Our source certification process means we can separate specialty rice varieties through the supply chain to the end consumer. We can track grain attributes including:

  • High protein rice
  • Specialty varieties (aromatic, basmati, etc.)
  • Grain chemistry (amylose content, gel temp)
6

What are the benefits of alternate wetting and drying (AWD)?

The primary benefits of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) are:

  • Water conservation through rainfall capture and reduced irrigation pumping
  • Aquifer sustainability through reduced irrigation requirements
  • Reduced irrigation costs and increased profitability to farmers
  • Significant methane emission reductions compared to continuously flooded rice
  • Reduced inorganic Arsenic accumulation in the grain

Additional resources
The effect of water management and ratoon rice cropping on methane emissions and yield in Arkansas Marguerita Leavitt, et al

7

What are the benefits of Furrow Irrigated Rice (FIR)?

The primary benefits of Furrow Irrigated Rice (FIR) are:

  • Reduced tillage passes needed to construct and destruct levees
  • Minimum or no-till when planting into beds from the previous year’s crop
  • May reduce irrigation demand compared to continuously flooded rice

Additional resources
Arkansas Furrow-Irrigated Rice Handbook (uada.edu) 

8

How do we verify that FIR occured?

Our team uses remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) to verify that furrow irrigation is used on partner fields.

We also build easy-to-use mobile applications for farmers to share real-time evidence of irrigation practices. This time-stamped, geo-tagged information is used alongside remote sensing data for robust verification.

9

What about rice co-products? Are the environmental benefits maintained in rice co-products?

When calculating scope 3 inset emissions for rice and rice co-products, an economic allocation is performed. The economic allocation methodology is based on the market value of each product leaving the process.

For example, the total flux associated with 1 CWT would be allocated to 75% head (or whole grain) rice, 20% broken rice, and 5% to the bran and husks.

Compared to conventionally grown rice, the total flux is reduced in AWD and FIR production systems but the allocation of greenhouse gas to the whole grain and co-products does not change.

Learn more about the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

10

Does sustainably grown rice allow for stubble burning?

Stubble burning is a management tool utilized by farmers to reduce tillage after a rice crop has been harvested. When used properly and in accordance with voluntary smoke management guidelines, stubble burning can be safely employed to accomplish the following: 

  • Enables drying during off-season months, in turn increasing the redox potential and subsequent methane emissions in the following rice crop 
  • Reduces or eliminates the need for tillage, allowing for reduced- or no-till in the subsequent crop 
  • Reduces the off-season methane emissions during our relatively warm and wet winter months 

Additional resources