Recently I had a discussion with a friend about the shelf life of brown rice.  This is what the experts say:

Brown rice has a shelf life of 6 MONTHS! 

Brown rice is a whole grain, the seed of the rice plant. It contains a starchy endosperm that becomes the ?white rice? after milling, together with the seed germ, all surrounded by layers of fibrous bran. In the plant, all of this is covered by a protective husk. Some of the oils that would nourish the growing seed are in the germ, but most are in the inner layers of the rice bran. The composition of the oil is 47 percent monounsaturated, 33 percent polyunsaturated and 20 percent saturated. This is very similar to the profile found in peanut oil.

Unsaturated oils are susceptible to oxidative attack, and, while there is a bran coat surrounding the whole grain rice, it is not airtight. Then there is the fact that some of the oil is in the inner layers of the bran. This is why brown rice has a shelf life. Six months is often used as the shelf life for brown rice, but there are manufacturers that put a ?Best By? dating on their product with an 18-month window from date of manufacture. When buying in bulk, I would make purchases consistent with a six-month use pattern. While refrigeration is not essential, it will extend shelf life up to a year. Brown rice should be kept in a cool place in a well-sealed container, away from any source of moisture.   

As with the whole grains, oils are a perishable food. Purchase amounts consistent with four- to six-month use, and store in a well-sealed container in a cool place out of direct light. As long as it does not sit on the shelf for too long, refrigeration is not essential for rice bran oil or peanut oil, but it certainly works in your favor and does not harm the oil.

Rice bran oil is a great cooking and frying oil, as it has a very high smoke point of 490 F. The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to break down. It tends to give of a bluish-gray, acrid-smelling smoke, and food cooked in such oil will have an off taste and be unhealthy to eat.

Storage Chart - Pantry Items

To Store on the Shelf: All items need to be stored in an airtight container. If the items have not been opened, they can be stored in their original contaners, otherwise a clear, clean container with a airtight cover should be used. A clear container will allow you to see what the container contains. Pantry items should be stored in a dry enviornment, away from direct sunlight. Storage times below are for whether the item is unopened or opened. If there is a difference between unopened and opend, it is indicated.
 
Baking Powder 18 months - unopened   6 months - opened
Baking Soda   2 years - unopened  6 months - opened
Biscuit Mix 12 to 18 months
Bread 3 to 5 days
Bread Crumbs 6 months
Brownie Mix 1 year
Cake Mixes 1 year
Candy - Commerically Made 1 year
Canned Fruit and Vegetables 1 year
Cereal 6 to 12 months - unopened  2 to 3 months - opened
Chili Powder 2 years
Chocolate, Semi-sweet 1 to 2 years
Chocolate, Syrup 2 years  Refrigerate after opening
Chocolate, Unsweetened 18 months
Cocoa Indefinitely - unopened   1 year - opened
Coconut 1 year - unopened
Coffee, Ground 2 years - unopened  2 weeks - opened
Coffee, Instant 1 year - unopened  2 weeks - opened
Coffee Creamer, Powder   6 months 
Cornmeal 1 year
Cornstarch 18 months
Crackers 6 months
Extracts 6 months
Fish, Canned 12 to 18 months
Flour 6 to 8 months
Formula (Infant) 12 to 18 months - unopened   2 weeks - opened
Gelatin / Pudding 12 to 18 months
Herbs & Spices 6 to 12 months
Honey 1 year opened (actually, much longer unopened)
Jams, Jellies, Preserves 1 Year - unopened  6 months - opened (refrigerated)
Juice, Canned-Citrus 6 months
Juice, Canned-Noncitrus 1 year
Marshmallow Creme 4 months
Marshmallows 3 months
Mayonnaise, commercial 4 months - unopened, on shelf  2 months - opened, refrigerated
Meats & Poultry, Canned 12 to 18 months
Milk, Canned 1 year
Milk, Nonfat Dry 6 months
Molasses 1 year - unopened  6 months - opened
Nuts 8 months
Olives 1 year
Pancake Mixes 6 months
Paprika 8 months
Pasta / Noodles, Dried 2 years
Peanut Butter 6 to 9 months
Peppers, Canned or Pickled 1 year
Pickles 1 year
Popcorn, Unpopped 1 to 2 years
Potatoes, Instant 18 months
Rice, White 2 years
Salad Dressing  10 months - unopened
3 months - opened, refrigerated
Salt Store Indefinitely
Sauces, Condiments, Relishes 1 year - unopened
Shortening 8 months - unopened  6 months - opened
Sodas 3 months - unopened
Stuffing Mix 6 months
Sugar, Brown 4 months
Sugar, Confectioners 18 months
Sugar, Granulated 2 years
Sugar, Substitutes 2 to 3 years
Syrups 1 year
Tea, Bags 18 months
Tea, Instant 3 years
Tea, Loose 2 years
Tomato Sauce or Paste 12 to 18 months
Vinegar - Do not store in a metal container. Store in its original container or in a glass container. Store Indefinitely

Just FYI, I've canned brown rice in the Mason Jars and it's stayed good for over 2 years! (Don't know about longer than that yet... )

Great information, thanks!  It's better to be safe than sorry.