Which of these states produces nearly half of America's rice?

Arkansas ranks first among rice-producing states, accounting for more than 40% of U.S. rice production primarily long and medium grain varieties. Rice production is concentrated in the eastern half of the state, stretching from Louisiana to the Missouri borders.

In 2018 almost half of the U.S.'s total rice production was produced in Arkansas. Rice consumption can be traced back to 5000 BC. There are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice. In 2015, Arkansas farmers produced 207,550,200 bushels of rice on 1.286 million acres. That accounted for more than half of all the rice produced in the United States.

African rice (a separate species from Asian rice, originally domesticated in the inland delta of the Upper Niger River) was introduced to the United States in the 17th century. It is mentioned to have been under cultivation in Virginia as far back as 1609, although it is reported that one bushel of rice had been sent to the colony later, in the summer of 1671, on the cargo vessel William and Ralph. In 1685, a bag of Madagascar rice known as "Gold Seede" was given to Dr. Henry Woodward. Tax law of 26 September 1691 had permitted payment of taxes by the colonists by way of rice and other commodities.