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| PURITY & QUALITY CONTROL | ||||||||||||||||
Lifelong Priorities At our family farm, purity and quality control (PQC) is the highest priority throughout the entire production process. Although maintaining our standards means more procedures and additional work, we truly believe they are necessary to maintain the integrity of our original seed strains and the purity of our finished rice products.
PQC starts by maintaining an in-house seed development program. In our seed nursery, we hand select each panicle of rice (the cluster of grains on an individual stalk). In the ensuing season, the grains from each panicle are planted in its own row. The half-acre seed plot, which contains over a thousand rows, is monitored for uniformity. If a row from a panicle shows any undesirable trait, it is cut and removed. In the third year, the rice harvested from the seed plot is planted in a 10 to 20 acre plot. In the fourth year, the seed is flown onto a larger seed field. In the fifth year, the seed is used to produce the rice that is processed for consumers. Koda Farms ensures that each variety remains pure by geographically isolating seed plots, thoroughly cleaning all field machinery (tractors, combines, trucks and planes), and annually planting the same variety in a particular field every year.
Raising the Standards for Superior Products Once the rice is harvested, PQC continues in the drying and milling processes. Prior to receiving rice at the dryer, the entire facility is cleaned of rice grains. Receiving areas, conveyor equipment, drying stands, and storage tanks must be swept and vacuumed. The milling equipment receives the same treatment. Additionally, the entire process is repeated whenever the variety of rice is switched, such as changing from Kokuho Rose™ to Sho-Chiku-Bai® Sweet Rice. During the milling process, Koda Farms monitors all factors that impact the finished product. Although the U.S. Number 1 standard for rice allows 4% broken kernels, Kokuho Rose True Koda Varietal and Sho-Chiku-Bai Sweet Rice typically average less than 2% broken kernels. This standard, set by Keisaburo Koda, originated in the commitment that customers paying for whole grain kernels should get whole grain kernels. Similarly, we feel that customers who pay for Koda Farms Kokuho Rose or Sho-Chiku-Bai Sweet Rice should only have that variety in their bag without intermingling of other varieties of rice. Koda Farms packages all of its rice products (except Kokuho Blue™) prior to shipping. Packaging machinery is thoroughly vacuumed and cleaned in order to maintain the purity of the finished product. Although outside trucking lines are used for delivery, Koda Farms inspects each shipping container for factors that might affect the quality of the rice in transit. While these PQC procedures may seem painstakingly slow, they have become routine. As long as customers tell us that our products make a difference, Koda Farms will continue to follow its commitment to total purity and quality control. |
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Koda Farms, Inc. P.O. Box 10, 22540 Russell Avenue, South Dos Palos California 93665 info@kodafarms.com © 2008 Koda Farms, Inc. All rights reserved. Kokuho, Kokuho Rose, the Kokuho Rose Design, Kokuho Blue, the Kokuho Blue Design, Koda Farms and Flower Design, True Koda Varietal, Kokuho Rose True Koda Varietal, Originators of Kokuho Rose Rice Varietal, Sho-Chiku-Bai, the Sweet Rice Design, Mochiko Blue Star, Star Design, and the Diamond K Design are trademarks of the Koda family and their businesses. All other logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. |