We are pleased to announce the 2025 Rice is Nice Youth Cooking Contests. Arkansas produces just under 50% of the nation’s rice each year, and this contest is designed to introduce budding chefs to rice as a crop and as a versatile diet staple. Students aged 9-18 or in the 4th through 12th grades as of January 1, 2025, and living in Arkansas may enter. Home-schooled students are welcome to enter. Contestants will compete in one of two categories: Main Dish and Party Ideas The Rice is Nice Youth Cooking Contest is sponsored by Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation and will be held Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. Counties may conduct contests as they see fit to select their entrants into the state contest into the Main Dish and Party Idea categories. Entries are due by June 20, 2025. Three finalists will be chosen for each category, and they will be notified of their selection by June 30, 2025.

We are pleased to announce the 2024 Dairy Foods and Rice is Nice Youth Cooking Contests. Arkansas produces just under 50% of the nation’s rice each year, and this contest is designed to introduce budding chefs to rice as a crop and as a versatile diet staple. Students aged 9-18 or in the 4th through 12th grades as of January 1, 2023, and living in Arkansas may enter. Home-schooled students are welcome to enter. Contestants will compete in one of two categories: Main Dish and Party Ideas.

Arkansas produces just under 50% of the nation’s rice each year, and this contest is designed to introduce budding chefs to rice as a crop and as a versatile diet staple. Students aged 9-18 or in the 4th through 12th grades as of January 1, 2023, and living in Arkansas may enter. Home-schooled students are welcome to enter. Contestants will compete in one of two categories: Main Dish and Party Ideas.

Arkansas produces just under 50% of the nation’s rice each year, and this contest is designed to introduce budding chefs to rice as a crop and as a versatile diet staple. Students aged 9-18 or in the 4th through 12th grades as of January 1, 2022, and living in Arkansas may enter. Home-schooled students are welcome to enter. Contestants will compete in one of two categories: Main Dish and Party Ideas.