Live healthy and celebrate rice. It seems like there is a celebration for everything and rice is no exception. Rice is a food staple around the world with 550 tons produced annually around the world. Asians Farmers grown approximately 92 percent of the worlds rice production. According to the International Rice Research Institute there are about 1.3 
billion people living in poverty throughout the world with 70% of those living in Asia and depending on rice for food and employment.
Rice is consumed by everyone in the world. It is relatively cheap to produce and has an abundance of nutritional qualities. With that in mind several entities have made rice a focus by introducing celebrations in honor of this powerful food.
In Nepal it is celebrated on Ashar 15, which is the day in the Hindu culture that paddy, which is rice kernels in its unprocessed state, is planted. A feast is held following the planting and curd and beaten rice are served as part of the celebration. In 2009, Vietnam hosted its first rice festival. The main purpose of the festival is to honor the wet rice and the wet-rice civilization that was originated from Southeast Asia; at the same time to honour rice growers and those whose merit in exporting Vietnamese rice to the world; to advertise potentiality and strong points in rice production of Vietnam; and to make the trademarks of Vietnam rice more renowned on the world market.
In Japan, rice is celebrated in Osaka, Japan on June 14th at the Otaue Rice Planting festival. Rice is considered sacred to many in the Japanese culture. The festival celebrates the planting season. It is the time when the seedlings are transplanted from the nurseries to the main rice fields. Women wear traditional clothing and there is dancing, singing and praying for a good harvest.
In the United States, September is recognized as National Rice Month. In 1991 Congress passed an act recognizing the importance of rice to the American economy and the tradition has been carried on ever since. The average American consumes 24 pounds of rice annually. Rice is primarily grown in 6 southern state, Texas, California, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri on over 2.7 million acres. During the month stores put on special displays, contests are held and schools are given promotional materials showcasing the benefits of rice.
Throughout the United States individual cities also hold rice festivals. In July Deer River Wild Rice Festival is held in Deer River, MN. In October the International Rice Festival is held in Crowley, LA. Colleton, SC is home to the Colleton County Rice Festival celebrating when rice was the king crop in the area. Every October, Katy, Texas is home to the Katy Rice Harvest Festival. Rice has been grown in Katy since 1898 and the festival is a tribute to the long history of rice farming in the region.
Rice if nutritious and abundant. This year celebrate your health and enjoy more rice!
