Riceland Foods Reports Over $1 Billion in Revenue at Annual Membership Meeting

Riceland Foods reported over $1.15 billion in revenue to its members, staff and guests in attendance at the cooperative’s Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday at the Embassy Suites in Jonesboro, Ark.

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Riceland Chief Executive Officer Kevin McGilton welcomed and shared the current state of the cooperative and the business outlook. The program highlighted key moments of recognition including the 2025 Riceland In-Depth Leadership Class, the Riceland Foods Foundation’s ten scholarship recipients, the cooperative’s retiring Board of Directors members, and several accomplishments of staff members throughout the program.

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“When I look into the future and evaluate the current market dynamics that are playing out in agriculture, I am confident our cooperative is in the best position to help our farmer-members limit their risk,” McGilton said. “With many factors out of our members’ control, Riceland gives them the best opportunity to get their crops out of the field quickly, the marketing options they need to limit price risk, and additional opportunities for farm revenue and goods or services for free or at discounted rates.”

Riceland’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Rich Hillman’s message centered on how farmers are resilient during challenging times, and their commitment to the cooperative continues to serve them.

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“Being a member of this co-op has value. It was times like we are enduring right now that really were the catalyst to form Riceland many years ago,” Hillman said. “Our forefathers knew that collectively we were stronger than we were individually. I’m so proud to be a small part of a collective of other farmers, staff members, and hardworking employees who make up what we know as our coop, Riceland Foods.”

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Chief Financial Officer Craig Parr gave the financial results for the fiscal year 2025. He reported a total revenue of $1.15 billion, with a distribution to members of $709 million. Parr also shared specific figures for the long grain rice and soybean seasonal pools, which paid $6.59 and $10.34 per bushel, respectively.

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The meeting also had an air of celebration and recognition for its members and employees. McGilton recognized three retiring directors from the Riceland Board of Directors. The late John Cooper of Wynne, Ark. served 24 years on the cooperative’s board of directors. Donald Morton, Jr. of Des Arc, Ark., served 19 years, and Kevin Fisher of Wynne, Ark., served eight years. McGilton also recognized Roger Pohlner of Fisher, Ark. for his 12 years of service as the past chairman of the board. Pohlner still serves as a director on the Riceland Board of Directors.

2025 marked the fifth anniversary of the Grow Good Awards, Riceland’s employee-led recognition program that shines a light on team members who go above and beyond, those who truly embody what it means to Grow for Good. The program got a refresh with new award categories designed to better reflect the heart of our cooperative. From long-time employees to fresh new talent, and from outstanding individuals to high-performing teams, these awards highlight the full spectrum of what makes Riceland thrive.

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KC Capers, senior manager of training and culture, recognized the outstanding contributions of 12 employees and three teams who were nominated by their peers this year. The 2025 Grow Good Awards were broken down into five categories.

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The Carl Brothers Service Award honors longevity and dedication, recognizing those who have given 20 years or more of service to the cooperative. Riceland headquarters employee Martha Frizzell was awarded the Carl Brothers Service Award for her 62 years of service to the cooperative.

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The Sprout award celebrates a standout newcomer who’s made an immediate impact within their first five years. Blayze Byers, Riceland Soy Division employee, won the Sprout.

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The Heart of the Co-op Award recognizes someone who lives out Riceland’s mission in everything they do. Gail Cantrell from the Pendleton Drier location was awarded the Heart of the Co-Op Award.

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The Pride of the Plant award honors a team member who exemplifies precision, consistency, and excellence in operations. Kurt Briggs from the Newport Drier location won the Pride of the Plant Award.

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The Teamwork Makes the Yield award celebrates collaboration at its best, teams that overcome challenges and lift one another up to reach shared goals. The Stuttgart Rice Division Safety Committee was awarded the Teamwork Makes the Yield Award.

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The cooperative also featured industry-led breakout sessions on crop insurance, the cooperative’s federal and state policy work through its government affairs team, a deep dive into Riceland’s drier strategy and storage plans for the future, and marketing options for farmer-members, and information on the Riceland Carbon Ready Program and the program’s new partnership for members’ grain bin management systems. These sessions were designed to provide our members with practical knowledge and tools to enhance their farming operations.

“We launched the breakout sessions at last year’s annual meeting in Stuttgart, and we wanted to bring the opportunity for our members to come together here in Jonesboro,” McGilton said. “It is important to us to provide our members with support tools and resources that are relevant to their day-to-day operations and support their needs.”