The Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association joint annual meeting will be held here at 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 25, at the International Rice Festival Building.

The program will feature reports from the USA Rice Federation as well as keynote speaker Jim Wiesemeyer, vice president for policy and trade issues with Informa Economics in Washington, D.C., and consultant to Pro Farmer. Wiesemeyer will discuss how the national elections impact farm policy.

“We have a full and very important program this year,” said Louisiana Rice Council President Jimmy Hoppe. “The annual meeting gives rice farmers the opportunity to hear how the Louisiana rice promotion check off is put to work and the results achieved, as well as to get the latest information on issues that are vital to us all. I encourage all growers and everyone with a stake in our state’s rice industry to attend.”

This year’s promotion report will focus on international markets, but also will include a domestic market update. The annual USA Rice financial report to the Louisiana rice industry will be presented, Hoppe said.

USA Rice staff will report on the Liberty Link rice issue, including its impact on international markets. The rice industry’s action plan to eliminate Liberty Link traits from the U.S. rice supply and to restore market confidence will be reviewed. An update on USA Rice government affairs activities and the outlook for the farm bill is also on the program.

Hoppe and Louisiana Rice Growers Association President Fred Zaunbrecher will conduct the business sessions for their respective organizations.

Coffee and refreshments will be served beginning at 5 p.m. The program will begin at 5:45. The meeting, which includes dinner, will conclude around 8:30.

For more information on the meeting, contact Randy Jemison, Louisiana director of field services for USA Rice, at (337) 738-7009, rjemison@usarice.com.

USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the rice industry, conducting activities to influence government programs, developing and initiating programs to increase worldwide demand for U.S. rice, and providing other services to increase profitability for all industry segments.