Laura Cox

Laura Cox, crew foreman in the production department, has been part of Riceland for 24 years. Growing up on a farm where her family raised rice, Laura felt she would adapt naturally to Riceland’s work—and she was right. Since joining in 2001, she has taken on a variety of roles across the company: beginning at the parboil plant, then moving to rough rice operator, drier operator, and later spending 15 years as a sorting operator mastering the machines. She became a supervisor in 2018, cut-in in 2019, and last October stepped into her current role as crew foreman. Farming remains close to home for Laura, as her brother still farms rice today.

In production, no two days look the same. Laura oversees bulk loadout, where the number of drivers arriving to pick up products changes daily. She also manages the cleanup process across roughly 16 floors in her department, as well as supervising clean rice operators and ensuring the machines are running properly. “You have to adjust to each day with what happens,” she explains. “There’s always something new.”

What Laura enjoys most is the challenge. A naturally competitive person, she pushes herself to do better every day—and encourages her team to do the same. She finds fulfillment in building strong crews and working alongside people who share her drive. “When you get a good crew, it’s easier to enjoy the work,” she says.

For Laura, growing good means living up to Riceland’s reputation as a trusted name in rice. “Riceland has always been known as the staple of rice,” she explains. “To live up to that, you must be willing to learn new technology, help your team grow, and put out the best product you can. Take each day, build on it, and get a good product out the door.”

Over the years, Laura has celebrated many highlights, including breaking production records. But her proudest achievement is becoming crew foreman, a role that recognizes her decades of experience and leadership. She values being able to share her knowledge and help Riceland grow stronger each day.

When Laura learned she had been nominated for a Grow Good Award, she was surprised. Known for being a stickler about policies and procedures, she hadn’t expected recognition. “It feels good that someone else acknowledges that I am trying to do a good job and I am doing the best I can for the company,” she says. For Laura, the nomination means even more because it reflects not only her work but also her team’s efforts. “I can be the best leader there is, but without my team, you are not gaining anything. I am very thankful for them.”

Raised with drive and determination, Laura takes pride in giving her best every day and pushing herself—and her team—to see how far they can go. Her leadership, competitive spirit, and dedication make her an invaluable part of Riceland’s production department.