'Where Are Rice Prices Going?' Highlights Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Rice Council

Attention All Mississippi Rice Farmers and Rice Industry

HOUSTON, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Please make plans to attend the Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Rice Council to be held on  Thursday,  February  18,  2010  at  the  Bolivar  County  Extension  Auditorium  in  Cleveland,  Mississippi.  Registration will begin at 9:15 a.m. and the meeting program will start at 10:00 a.m.

This  year's  meeting  will  provide  valuable  information  for  the  Mississippi  rice  farmers  and  the  affiliated industry  as  the  program  is  highlighted  by  the  participation  of  Mr.  Dennis  DeLaughter,  President  of Progressive  Farm  Management,  Inc.   A  licensed  floor  trader  on  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  and  a member  of  the  Mid-American  Commodity  Exchange  in  Chicago,  Mr.  DeLaughter  manages  over 5,000 acres of rice and grain farmland in South Texas.  Mr. DeLaughter also serves on the Board of Directors of several rice and agribusinesses in the area.  Mr. DeLaughter is a former chairman of the board of the US Rice  Producers  Association  and  currently  serves  on  the  organization's  market  advisory  committee.   He has  been  a  past  member  of  the  USDA's  Agricultural  Technical  Advisory  Committee  and  has  testified before U.S. Congressional hearings on several occasions with regards to issues of agricultural trade and domestic farm policies.  Mr. DeLaughter also conducts marketing seminars on futures as well as business plans for farmers.

Other  presentations  at  this  year's  annual  meeting  of  Mississippi  rice  farmers  will  include  an  update  on agriculture   policies   from   Capitol   Hill   by   Hunt   Shipman   of   Cornerstone   Government   Affairs   in Washington,  D.C.,  a  review  of  the  rice  research  program  from  Tim  Walker  and  Nathan  Buehring  of  the Delta Research & Extension Center in  Stoneville,  Mississippi and an update from Dwight Roberts of the US  Rice  Producers  Association.   Donald  Gant,  Chairman  of  the  Mississippi  Rice  Promotion  Board,  and Gibb  Steele,  Chairman  of  the  US  Rice  Producers  Political  Action  Committee,  will  also  give  comments  at the meeting.  Lunch will be catered by Eddie Harris.

Gary  Fioranelli,  President  of  the  Mississippi  Rice  Council  and  a  rice  farmer  from  Bolivar  County, encourages all Mississippi rice farmers, rice mills and rice industry affiliates to attend the meeting.  "Our meeting  this  year  will  provide  important  information  to  our  state's  rice  industry  and  it  is  important  to use   the   occasion   to   network   and   hear   the   concerns   and   opinions   from   within   our   statewide organizations," said Mr. Fioranelli.

For more information call the office of the US Rice Producers Association at 1-713-974-7423.

This meeting is open to all persons without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability.   Persons  who  require  alternative  means  of  communication  (such  as  Braille,  large  print,  sign language),  special  dietary  needs  or  language  interpretation  should  contact:   Veronica  Vargas  at  (713) 974-7423 at least 10 days before the meeting.

SOURCE US Rice Producers Association