Comstock's magazine 0919 - September 2019 | Page 48

n AGRICULTURE “We’re the largest producer of sushi rice, that short, medium rice we find in sushi and Korean cuisine. We grow all the sushi rice in the United States. Whether you’re eating sushi in New York, Dallas or here in Sacramento, it’s all rice grown right here in the Sacramento Valley.” Tim Johnson, president and CEO, California Rice Commission fields get golden,” Doherty says. “Then you drain the fields, heav y equipment cuts the rice and puts it into grain carts, fill it, and take it to the rice dry- er facility.” The next stop is the mill. Each day, about 40 trucks filled with rice come into Farmers’ Rice Coopera- tive in West Sacramento, a massive industrial complex in its 75th year. After the trucks are weighed, the rice is put through a giant dryer for two days to reduce moisture content. The next step is an intricate process that inspects the rice for damage, insects, rocks and dirt before it goes through separators. Brown rice has its outer hull removed, while white rice has the hull and second layer of bran removed (both come through the same plant). The white rice goes through two roll- ers that pop the hulls off, and a ma- chine “polishes” the kernels to make them whiter. Machines remove short- er pieces, and faulty kernels are used for beer and pet food. “It will go through an optical sort- er, which believe it or not, every kernel is looked at by a camera, and if it sees a defect of a size and intensity that is unacceptable, there’s a little puff of air that will pop it out of the stream,” ex- plains Joe Alves, director of milling at Farmers’ Rice Cooperative. Once ready, the rice is packed in sacks ranging from 2 pounds to 1 ton, JOIN THE SVP COMMUNITY! We are a community of philanthropists who are dedicated to ensuring all students in the Greater Sacramento Region are on a clear pathway to economic security. COME LEVERAGE YOUR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE BY WORKING WITH IMPACTFUL NONPROFITS IN EDUCATION. contact Cameron Law, Executive Director of SVP Sacramento, at [email protected] www.svpsacramento.org 48 comstocksmag.com | September 2019