Rice ranks ninth among major field crops in value of production. All U.S. rice production is irrigated, providing more stable yields than many other crops. Three classes of U.S. rice are produced—long, medium, and short grain—with long grain predominant. Domestic use and exports of U.S. rice rose sharply during the 1970's but have declined in the 1980’s. Between 1980 and 1983, rice stocks rose and prices fell, pushing rice program costs from less than a tenth to over nine-tenths of the value of U.S. rice production. Rice growers are adopting high-yielding, semi-dwarf varieties of long grain rice which could raise U.S. production. Rising production capacity, weak export demand, and the type, level, and flexibility of income and price supports are issues for farm legislation in 1985.