Rice

As the gold rush got underway in the mid-1800's, so too did rice growing in Northern California.  By the early 1900's, rice was being commercially produced.  More than 100 years later, around a half-million acres of Northern California is planted to rice.  The hot summers, cool nights, and abundant water supply make the Sacramento Valley an ideal location for rice crops

The signature variety of rice grown in this region is medium grain Calrose.  It was developed by the UC Davis Rice Experiment Station in 1948.  In the United States, Calrose is the dominant variety used in sushi due to the soft, sticky texture of the grains.  Calrose is also a very versatile rice grain, which is exported all over the world, particularly to the Asian and Mediterranean regions.