Rebels, the Mississippi River has never played nice with Illinois farmers. For generations, rising waters have swallowed fields of corn and soy. But one farmer in Southern Illinois decided to stop fighting nature and start farming with it.
Meet Blake Gerard, a 4th-generation farmer who swapped out corn and soy for an unexpected crop: rice. His bold move challenges federal farm policy, corporate consolidation, and the assumptions of what Midwest land can grow.
And it might just be the future of sustainable farming in Illinois.
Why Rice, Why Now?
Climate change has put the Corn Belt on edge. Illinois sees 45% more extreme rainfall than it did 50 years ago. Drainage tiles and fungicide sprays can only go so far before water wins.
Rice flips the script: instead of drowning in floods, Gerard’s fields thrive under them. Floodwaters that once ruined crops now fill rice paddies — turning disaster into productivity.
The Economics: Risky but Rewarding
Transitioning into rice isn’t cheap. Gerard spent over $1,000 per acre to grade, level, and build levees. Add in pumps, pipes, and round-the-clock water management, and the upfront investment is massive.
But there are rewards:
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Market demand exists. Rice is a staple food with steady U.S. consumption.
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Premium potential. Gerard created “Cahokia Rice,” a high-protein, regenerative brand sold direct to restaurants and co-ops.
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Diversification hedge. When corn or soy prices crash, rice offers a buffer.
Still, here’s the rub: federal farm policy doesn’t support rice in Illinois. Crop insurance, subsidies, and infrastructure are built for corn and soy. As one policy expert said, “The system doesn’t know how to say yes.”
Sustainability Comparisons
Let’s stack rice against Illinois’s row-crop kings:
|
Factor |
Corn/Soy |
Rice |
|
Water Use |
Drained with tiles, drought-prone |
Thrives in floods, uses “free water” |
|
Soil Health |
High erosion, heavy tillage |
Flooding holds soil in place |
|
Chemicals |
Heavy pesticides/fungicides |
Floodwater smothers weeds, reduces sprays |
|
Carbon Impact |
Fertilizer = nitrous oxide emissions |
Rice emits methane, but regenerative methods cut it |
|
Wildlife |
Monoculture deserts |
Post-harvest rice paddies host geese & ducks |
Rice isn’t perfect — methane is real — but regenerative practices like alternate wetting and drying help cut emissions. And the soil-building, erosion control, and biodiversity benefits outshine conventional row crops.
Farmers Speak Out
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Blake Gerard: “It was either find something that would grow under water or go out of business.”
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Policy Expert Jonathan Coppess: “Everything’s stacked against it. Nobody says no, but the system doesn’t know how to say yes.”
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Anne Schechinger, Environmental Working Group: “Crop insurance is keeping farmers on the treadmill of corn and soy.”
Translation? Farmers are ready to diversify but policies and infrastructure lag decades behind.
What Needs to Change
For Illinois rice (and other regenerative crops) to scale, we need:
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Policy Reform: Crop insurance and subsidies must support diversification.
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Infrastructure: Rice mills, drying facilities, and co-ops in Illinois.
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Market Development: Branding Illinois rice as regenerative and flood-resilient.
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Education: Extension services teaching rice systems and water management.
Rice in Illinois isn’t just a novelty. It’s a signal: farmers are finding ways to farm with climate chaos, not against it.
This is the kind of farm policy fight we cover here at The Regenaissance. Corporate agriculture wants corn and soy locked in forever. Farmers want freedom. And the land itself? It’s calling for change.
Viva La Regenaissance!
