Riceland Roundtable: Chatting with the CEO and COO

Riceland Roundtable: Chatting with the CEO and COO

It has been a little over a century since Riceland Foods was founded, a fact that speaks volumes about the strength of cooperative agriculture and the farmers who make it possible. As the nation’s largest miller and marketer of rice and a major player in soybean processing, Riceland has become a vital part of countless farming communities. But its success is not just measured in acres or exports; it is rooted in people and purpose.

I sat down with two leaders guiding Riceland into its next chapter—President and CEO Kevin McGilton, and Executive Vice President and COO Ben Noble. Both bring deep personal and professional ties to agriculture and a shared commitment to serving the farmers at the heart of the cooperative. From tough seasons to policy gaps, we covered what is really happening in rural America and especially rice country.

Kevin McGilton began his career in the rice industry in 1995 with Louis Dreyfus in McGehee, Arkansas, where he worked directly with growers and managed export operations. A few years later, he moved to Washington, D.C. to work on farm policy with the USA Rice Federation, advocating on behalf of growers during the 2002 Farm Bill. His journey came full circle when he joined Riceland in 2003, eventually becoming CEO after holding roles in sales, government affairs, and executive leadership.

Outside of the office, Kevin is an avid outdoorsman. While hunting and fishing remain staples of his free time, he jokes that his golf game has officially been retired—though friends still try to coax him back to the course.

Ben Noble’s connection to farming runs even deeper. His family has farmed in east Arkansas since the 1890s, instilling in him a respect for the land and those who work it. After earning his degree from the University of Arkansas, Ben worked in Washington for two U.S. Senators and several agricultural trade groups. His focus was always rural America—its policies, its communities, and its potential. Riceland was one of his clients during that time, and he eventually joined the company full-time eight years ago. Since then, he has taken on roles across the business, helping lead operations and strategic growth.

When asked what makes Riceland unique, both Kevin and Ben return to one core idea: cooperative strength.

Riceland was founded in 1921 in response to a crisis. Rice prices had collapsed, and farmers were being pushed to the brink. A group of growers came together with a simple but powerful idea—by pooling their harvests, they could build collective strength and control their market access. That founding principle still guides the co-op today.

“For one farmer, building a mill or marketing rice around the world would be impossible,” Ben says. “But when you come together, you can build something powerful. That is what Riceland does—it helps farmers add value, scale up, and stay competitive in a changing world.”

Kevin agrees. “Our job is to serve our members. We take their rice and soybeans, process them efficiently, and return as much value as we can. That has been the mission for one hundred years, and it is just as important now as it was in 1921.” 

Riceland advocates for their farmer members on many different topics. Lately, one of the biggest issues hitting Mid-South rice farmers is milling quality. Newer, high-yield varieties might fill the bins—but they are falling short where it counts.

“We’re seeing too many brokens,” Kevin said. “And poor milling hurts the farmer.” When the quality is not there, the return is not either. And in a year where every input costs more, that disconnect is more than frustrating, it is financially devastating.

In response to farmer financial difficulties, in late summer 2024 Riceland joined a fly-in to D.C. with farmers and lenders from across the country. They met with lawmakers to lay it all out: the economics are not adding up, and farmers need help. That trip helped secure emergency language in a continuing resolution—funding that is now going to farmers in Arkansas and beyond.

But it is not enough.

“We need those reference prices raised,” Ben said. “We need a viable safety net.”

Even with those policy wins, the outlook is sobering. Farmers across the board are facing projected losses. Some are making the hard call not to plant at all.

“We’re watching people who’ve farmed their whole lives step back—not because they want to, but because they don’t see a way forward,” Ben told us.

“We need a new Farm Bill,” Kevin said. Plain and simple. The current system is not enough to sustain the people growing our food. And the window for action is closing.

But there’s hope—and it is in the people. The growers, the advocates, the cooperatives, and the communities show up every day.

“We’re all in this boat together,” Kevin reminded us.

A Note to Readers

If you are a farmer: stay engaged. Your voice matters more than ever.
 If you are not a farmer: ask questions. Understand where your food comes from—and why it matters who is growing it.

Better days are ahead. But only if we keep showing up—for each other, and for the future of farming.

As Riceland looks ahead to the next century, the focus remains on innovation, sustainability, and staying rooted in its original purpose: helping farmers succeed—together.

Want to learn more about Riceland’s legacy and future?
Visit riceland.com to explore the co-op’s impact, discover member stories, and see how 100 years of farmer-led innovation continues to shape the future of agriculture. Make sure you follow Riceland on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

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