Annual Arkansas Rice Meeting Set for Jan 28; Program to Focus on Trade, Promotion, Legislative and Regulatory Issues

01/11/10 05:02 PM Filed in: Meetings | Arkansas Rice Council | Arkansas Rice Producers
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State Sen. Jim Luker (right) and State Rep. Robert Moore
Expanding agricultural trade with Cuba, recent changes to farm bill payment eligibility provisions, the upcoming mid-term elections and domestic and international promotion activities for U.S.-grown rice will be featured topics during the upcoming meeting of the Arkansas Rice Council and Arkansas Rice Producers' Group on Thursday, Jan 28 in Brinkley, AR. This joint annual meeting updates Arkansas rice farmers on work carried out by their state and national rice organizations through the Arkansas and USA Rice Federations.

Arkansas State Sen. Jim Luker (D-Wynne), chairman of the Arkansas Senate Agricultural Committee, and State Rep. Robert Moore (D-Arkansas City) will give an overview of the upcoming General Assembly session and talk about their recent trip to Cuba, providing observations on the rice market potential in the region.

USA Rice Federation President and CEO Betsy Ward will present the annual financial report and highlights of USA Rice program activities and results. Government Affairs VP Reece Langley will discuss recent changes to the farm bill payment eligibility provisions and give an outlook on the political landscape in Washington headed into the mid-term elections and the next farm bill in 2012.

"Rice farmers have a lot at stake this year and we need to stay informed," Arkansas Rice Council President Robert Petter said. "This annual meeting is an opportunity to share information on important issues and I encourage all rice farmers and others in the rice industry to attend."

The meeting will be held at the Brinkley Convention Center, 1501 Weatherby Drive, Brinkley, AR, from 10 a.m. until noon. Lunch will be served immediately following the meeting.

Contact: Chuck Wilson, (870) 673-7541