The investment in the breeding program at the Rice Experiment Station has paid significant dividends to California rice growers. The chart below shows the price adjusted benefit of increased yields due to breeding advancements. The chart credits 60% of the yield gain over the average yield from 1969 to 1978 (5500 lbs/ac) as a direct benefit to the grower. The red bars show this value. The blue bars are the total cumulative investment by growers through the Rice Research Board.

The second chart shows the same information in a different way. For every dollar invested there is a particular leverage for that dollar. Presently, the California rice grower receives $40 of value for every $1 he has invested.