The majority of rice grown in California is cultivated in the Sacramento Valley. The soils in this region are either heavy clay and/or have an underlying hard pan. In general, this makes them good soils for growing rice but not suitable for other crops. Thus, most rice is continuously cropped, without annual rotations. Rice yields in California are the highest in the world. Comparative yields are:
California's high yields are due to the adoption of cultural and chemical management practices, such as, use of semi-dwarf rice varieties with high harvest indexes, chemical inputs for pest and weed control, and precision land leveling.

The conventional rice system is water-seeded with a combination of chemical and cultural controls for pest and nitrogen management. Pre-plant herbicide (molinate) and insecticide (carbofuran) are used to control watergrass and rice water weevil, respectively. Other herbicides are applied post-plant. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied pre-plant and/or as topdressing at total rates of 100-160 lbs N/acre.

This project is conducted in Butte County where rice cultivation in California began over 80 years ago. Butte county is the second largest producer of rice after nearby Colusa county, producing 20% of California's rice crop on about 90,000 acres (36,450 ha). The 1997 crop was worth over $89,000,000.

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