Public Papers - 1991 Proclamation 6323 -- National Rice Month,
1991 By the President of the United States A staple food for
much of the world's population, rice is one of the most
important grains grown today. It is cultivated in more than 100
countries and on every continent except Antarctica. Rice was
cultivated in North America as early as 1696. Indeed, by the
time the United States declared its independence from Great
Britain, rice had become one of this country's major
agricultural exports. Today the United States is one of the
world's leading exporters of rice, supplying about 20 percent of
the rice in world trade. In addition, much American-grown rice
has been provided to other countries through Food for Peace
programs, which have helped to promote the social and economic
well-being of less developed nations and provided vital
sustenance to victims of disaster. The United States Department
of Agriculture reports that American growers harvested more than
7 million metric tons of rice last year. The valu