Politics and social factors are deeply intertwined with the rice industry. Millions of people around the world rely on rice. Since so many people depend on rice for food and jobs, governments have tried to maintain strict supervision over the rice trade in their countries. Governments want to balance the needs of both the producers and consumers in their country. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has developed many organizations to regulate and promote the trade of rice. In 1949, the International Rice Commission was created to supervise the production, distribution, consumption, and conservation of rice. The Intergovernmental Group on Rice was created to regulate the trade of rice. (1)