Welcome and Opening Remarks
Al Montna
Chairman, USA Rice Federation

KEYNOTE ADDRESS-Managing Change
George H. Soares
Managing Parner-Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP

Managing Change is a critical component in managing an industry. Agriculture suffers no shortage of changing political, enviornmental and cultural conditions. Declining political influence, increasing regulation and a growing divide between the consumer and the farm assure that U.S. agriculture is poised to experience change at a pace unmatched in previous decades. With over 30 years of experience managing legal, policial and regulatory issues on behalf of agricultur, George Soares, provides a unique and challenging prespective on the approaches necessary if rice is to be one of the survivors in teh wave of change occurring locally and across the nation.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER (Invited)
Bruce I. Knight
Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
USDA/APHIS

Under Secretary Knight will review the latest developments in the Liberty Link GE Rice Issue including USDA's effort to assist the rice industry and the outlook on this issue. 

10 a.m. to 10: 30

10:30 a.m. to 11:15

FARM POLICY– Featured Speaker
Larry Combest
President-Combest/Sell and Associates LLC

The former Chairman of the House Intelligence and Agricultural Committees, Larry Combest (R-TX) is considered the architect of the 2002 farm bill. Chairman Combest will provide an overview of the issues shaping the next farm bill, including the budget situation, trade issues, election outcomes, competing policy proposals and new players in the farm bill dialogue.

FARM BILL SESSION
The next farm bill debate will begin in earnest early next year. This session will focus on key factors influencing farm policy as well as the rice industry's efforts to maintain an effective farm safety net.

U.S. FARM AND TRADE POLICY: A Washington Insider's View
Jim Wiesemeyer
Vice President, Policy and Trade Issues, Informa Economics
Washington consultant to Pro Farmer

Jim Wiesemeyer of Informa Economics and consultant to Pro Farmer will provide post-election impacts on farm programs and key trade policy issues. 

Presentation of the 2006 Rice Awards
Rice Farmer of the Year
Rice Industry Award
Rice Lifetime Achievement Award
Rice Leadership Development Program Announcement
National Rice Month Scholarship Award

USA RICE DOMESTIC PROMOTION REPORT:
Anne Banville
USA Rice Federation

USA Rice recently launched two new initiatives to increase rice awareness and usage in teh domestic market. A foodservice communications program to increase rice usage in away-from-home eating features a new advertising campaign and state-of-the-art Web site. A Rice Utilization Workshop co-sponsored with USDA Agriculture Research Service will explore new ways to exploit the health-beneficial properties of rice.

GE RICE: An Unexpected Issue

On Aug. 18, 2006, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced the discovery of trace elements of genetically engineered rice in commercial long-grain samples. The announcement shocked the U.S. rice industry, as no genetically engineered rice was known to be in the U.S. commercial supply. While Secretary Johanns and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave swift public assurances that the unexpected discovery posed no human health, food safety or environmental concerns, the U.S. rice industry went to work to determine what happened, and most importantly, to reassure customers at home and around the world of our commitment to providing safe, high quality rice and rice products.

In this session, research and industry experts will examine events to date as well as issues and actions going forward.

U.S. RICE SITUATION AND OUTLOOK
Nathan W. Childs
Senior Rice Market Analyst, Economic Research Service, USDA

An overview of the domestic and global market and the outlook for U.S. rice.

ANNUAL STATE PRODUCTION OUTLOOKS AND RICE RESEARCH REPORTS
Extension representatives and researchers from each of the major rice-producing states will provide timely reports and outlooks. This session also includes a national research update from the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center.

Speakers to be announced from:
California
Arkansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Texas
Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center