Starting from this fall, the family farm that produces the national treasure rice Kokuho Rose in California will be closing its doors and will no longer be selling new rice. However, a company will take over and continue producing Kokuho Rose rice strictly according to the agreement.
Due to rising production costs, including water fees, organic fertilizers, natural gas costs soaring, as well as insurance fees, equipment expenses, and labor costs skyrocketing, the Japanese-American family farm that has been operating for nearly 100 years had to announce its closure.
Kokuho Rose rice is a type of Japanese rice that has stood out in the American market since the 1960s due to its high quality. It is particularly well-known among Asian communities and is an indispensable source of rice for many restaurants.
Founded 97 years ago by the Japanese Keisaburo Koda, who was known as the “Rice King of California,” the farm is currently run by third-generation descendants, Robin Koda and Ross Koda.
Ross told The New York Times that their family has always been dedicated to planting traditional rice with exceptionally low yields on barren soil.
“Kokuho Rose was a modern rice in my grandfather’s time,” Ross said. “But now it’s outdated: too tall, too slow to mature, and yields too low.”
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Robin said, “The challenges over the years have surpassed what we can bear.”
Robin and Ross, both in their 60s, have no succession plan within the family. Robin admitted, “I will never tell my children that they must farm because it’s a relentless and endless occupation.”
The only consolation is that the Koda family has granted the farm’s five trademarks to Western Foods, a grain manufacturer in Yolo County. They will continue to produce Kokuho Rose rice strictly under the licensing agreement.
The company’s president, Miguel Reyna, told The New York Times that they will continue to plant rice for Kokuho Rose at Dos Palos where the Koda farm is located, increase rice cultivation in Sacramento Delta region, and shift all processing and packaging to Northern California. Additionally, the Koda farm’s Blue Star Mochiko and Diamond K rice flour may also be processed at the company’s factory in Arkansas.
Despite the smaller scale of the Koda farm compared to large rice farms in the Sacramento Valley, chefs greatly appreciate the rice they produce. When Ross first shared the news of the farm’s closure on Instagram, chefs expressed their sadness and regret within the culinary community.
Chefs also noted that this is the latest example of closures due to rising production costs, serving as a reminder that skyrocketing costs are impacting the entire food industry.
Under the licensing agreement, the packaging of the Koda farm will remain largely unchanged, including the photo of founder Keisaburo Koda standing in a rice field that adorns many of the company’s rice bags.
Keisaburo Koda immigrated from Okinawa, Japan to the United States in 1908, where he was a school principal. Before engaging in rice cultivation, he tried various industries, including oil, laundry, and opening a canned food company. Amidst rising anti-Asian sentiment and the 1913 California Alien Land Law, he had to move south and eventually purchased a farm in South Dos Palos as a place to settle down.