Ducks Unlimited Director of Conservation Innovation Dr. Scott Manley was presented with the DU Top Flight Award in December. Manley leads DUs Rice Stewardship efforts on the ground and in Washington, D.C. To date, DU has delivered 267,000 acres of conservation on ricelands and caused nearly $70 million to flow to rice producers in DUs level 1 priority areas. Last year alone, the rice program exceeded $20 million, with only six percent of these funds being non-public.

Scott is a visionary leader doing a great job as an administrator, fundraiser and policy agent for rice, said Director Jerry Holden, Jr. Were pleased to acknowledge Scotts outstanding job wearing many hats and ensuring the rice and ducks partnership is operating at truly impressive scales for producers and for waterfowl. His remarkable efforts to bring agricultural production and conservation closer together under the banner of rice will strengthen our efforts to support strong conservation titles in the pending Farm Bill.

Without winter flooded ricelands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Gulf Coast and Californias Central Valley, we will be unable to meet the objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. As Scott says, Whats good for rice is good for ducks.