Financing Rice Inventory For Family Rice Mill In 2026

McKaskle Family Farm is a family farm and rice mill in the “bootheel” of Missouri that has been a pioneer in producing organic and crops grown with regenerative practices since the 1990s. Over the decades, the family has grown USDA Certified Organic cotton, popcorn, Basmati and Long Grain rice, soybeans, corn, wheat, and oats on land that now supports members of the family’s 5th, 6th, and 7th generations—each working to keep the land, family, and farm economics healthy.

The farm has long been vital to the development of environmentally sound, organic, and regenerative farming management. In recent years, they have installed updated equipment at the rice mill to improve processing efficiency and overall product quality. They are also deepening their commitment to regenerative agriculture by working closely with the Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI), benefiting from SCI verification and collaborating with other regenerative rice farmers in the region to implement and expand farming practices focused on soil health.

McKaskle Family Farm has renewed its contract with its primary purchaser for another year, maintaining the same volume as previous seasons, and continues to diversify its markets by selling organic rice and popcorn through wholesale channels.

Use of Funds

This loan will fund the annual purchase of the rice that the McKaskle Family Farm’s rice mill will need to supply their contract with their primary purchaser—a national restaurant chain with a focus on using sustainable and regenerative ingredients.

Ecological, Social, and Economic Stewardship Practices

Ecological Stewardship

• Minimizing soil disturbance through no-tilling all soybeans and wheat fields and minimizing tillage using a vertical tiller for all rice fields.
  
  
• Maintaining conservation buffers of tree lines, hedgerows, and pollinators to reduce wind erosion and create wildlife and pollinator habitat.
  
  
• Working to maximize diversity on the farm by maintaining an expanded crop rotation of rice, soy, corn, and wheat (recently added) to help with nutrient cycling and prevent disease and pests.
  
  
• Utilizing furrow irrigation rather than flood irrigation for over 80% of rice fields which uses much less water and allows there to be living roots in the ground for longer periods.
  
  
• Keeping year-round soil coverage by leaving rice straw residue in the field to cover fields, retain moisture, and create a beneficial habitat for bugs and microbes.
  
  
• Avoiding the use of all insecticides and fungicides to support soil microbiome health, and reducing the use of herbicides through working on building soil health and structure.
  
  
• Reducing synthetic nitrogen by ensuring that application methods maximize uptake of nitrogen into the crop and reduce runoff.
  
  

• Actively working toward continuous learning and improvement through involvement with other regenerative farmer-mentors in the area, comprehensive soil testing across the farm, and attending monthly meetings with the Soil & Climate Initiative group.

Economic Stewardship

• Maintaining family ownership of the rice mill and farmland to keep more dollars in the local community.
  
  
• Providing stable employment in one of the most economically depressed counties in Missouri and provides a living wage, overtime, and health insurance.

Stewardship Statement

• Maintaining enrollment and verification of farming practices for purchased rice through the Soil & Climate Initiative (SCI) Verification Version 3.0.
  
  
• Maintaining organic processing and handling license to offer organic popcorn and rice sales.
  
  
• Continuing to provide stable employment in one of the most economically depressed counties in Missouri and provide a living wage, overtime, and health insurance.