Presentation: Regenerative Rice—Why the ‘Dry Pantry’ is No Longer a Dry Subject

Learn how Wendy Tsuji fights against the climate change by addressing climate sustainability issues in grain.

Rice in California is a $5 billion agribusiness, affecting 500,000 acres, but only 4% of it is organic. This is beginning to change as people realize the importance and intersection of food, health and climate change, all in the context of innovation. Agriculture is at the forefront of basic needs, skillsets, supply chain distribution, energy and technology. This talk will be a case study in growing sustainable organic rice grain locally in California, all while still maintaining the highest taste and nutrient profiles. Learn about the “Kitchen Soapbox” and what it means to eat and support local organic grain.

This event is part of Everybody’s Climate 2026: Connect with others to address the climate crisis in ways that are meaningful to you, from poetry and music to science and practical action.

About Wendy Tsuji:

Wendy Tsuji is an advocate for organic farming, and growing sustainable food available to local restaurants, and educating people interested in supporting regenerative food in the sustainable supply chain. After 40 years designing restaurants and hospitality venues, such as the Hotel Healdsburg in Sonoma County, her work of four decades spans the food movement: from AQUA, a highly acclaimed 4-star restaurant in the 1990s to Izakaya Rintaro, an ongoing popular cult favorite South of Market. She has now applied her 40+ years of design and technical skills to organic food production, including a lifelong interest in historic and cultural foodways. Her rice brand is the first triple certified Koshihikari rice varietal in the world: USDA Organic Premium Grade #1, California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) globally. She is currently the President of the CCOF Processor Handlers Chapter of CCOF, covering members in the USA and Mexico.

Luna Koshihikari - California Certified Organic Farmers

LUNA KOSHIHIKARI is premium 100% organic rice: dryseeded, practices ROC certified organic techniques of soil support, without pesticides or chemical additives, using only animals and cover crops, laser levelling, Alternate Wet Drying(AWD) techniques, lowering methane and greenhouse gas (GHG); air drying, milling with 85% solar energy, and including best practices in packaging without plastics.

Alec Yoshio MacDonald, "NATURALLY DELICIOUS: New organic rice brand advances environmental message," NichiBei News, Apr 24, 2025, https://www.nichibei.org/2025/04/naturally-delicious-new-organic-rice-brand-advances-environmental-message/