Rice industry members in Louisiana and Arkansas have donated 30,000 pounds of rice to help feed needy residents of their states in recognition of National Rice Month (September).

The Louisiana rice industry donated 12,000 pounds of rice to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

The Arkansas rice industry donated more than 28,000 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Rice Depot, which helps feed needy families in the state.

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank coordinates with more than 100 agencies to feed 7,700 people a day in 11 parishes and distributed over 10.6 million pounds of food last year.

The Arkansas Rice Depot is a statewide food bank that works with 600 Arkansas hunger programs, including food pantries, school food programs, disaster relief and a statewide hunger hotline.

Rice mills participating in the donation included Louisiana Rice Mill and Falcon Rice Mill, both of Crowley, La.; Planters Rice Mill, Abbeville, La.; Farmers Rice Milling Co., Lake Charles, La.; Riviana Foods, Houston, Texas; Cormier Rice Milling, DeWitt, Ark.; Producers Rice Mill, Stuttgart, Ark.; Riviana Foods, Carlisle, Ark.; Riceland Foods, Stuttgart, Ark.; and Specialty Rice, Brinkley, Ark.