Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards will be the featured speaker at the Louisiana Rice Council and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association annual joint membership meeting, Feb. 7, in Jennings.
The meeting of the state’s two largest grower organizations will be held at the Grande Marais Center and will open at 4 p.m. with a reception hosted by the Louisiana Rice Political Action Committee. A trade show devoted exclusively to rice-related equipment, technology, products and services will coincide.
The meeting program will follow at 5:45 p.m. Dinner will be served.
“We are greatly honored that the governor has accepted our invitation,” says Michael Fruge, LARGA president who farms in St. Landry Parish. “Our members are anxious to hear his vision for the state, specifically as it relates to agriculture.”
“We are proud of our industry and are excited to have the governor become more personally acquainted with its stakeholders,” says Eric Unkel, a farmer from Allen Parish and LARC president.
The meeting provides an annual report to rice farmers on programs funded by the Louisiana rice promotion check-off as well as timely information on other important issues.
The word of the year last year was “change,” and USA Rice staff will discuss what changes in Washington, D.C., will mean for rice. There will also be reports on domestic and international promotion activities.
Dinner will be provided courtesy of Falcon Rice Mill and Louisiana Rice Mill of Crowley, Farmers Rice Mill of Lake Charles, and Kennedy Rice Mill of Mer Rouge.
USA Rice also will participate in the Northeast Louisiana Rice Growers Association Rice Forum, Feb. 8. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Rayville Civic Center, 817 Louisa St., in Rayville.