USA Rice was a conference sponsor
Jan 22, 2021
EL CAMPO, TX - The Western Rice Belt Production Conference, hosted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, held its annual meeting this week via virtual platform.
Like so many other meetings, the annual gathering here had to change its routine due to restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, and the chance to meet in-person will have to wait until later. And while the venue changed, the format stayed the same, with reports from extension researchers and staff presentations, and booth time replaced with messages from event sponsors.
USA Rice, a conference sponsor, shared a ten-minute video with updates from President & CEO Betsy Ward and staff, including Sarah Moran, vice president international; Michael Klein, vice president domestic promotion; and Dr. Steve Linscombe, director of The Rice Foundation and Leadership Class Program.
Also included in the USA Rice video was the National Rice Month Scholarship grand prize-winning entry by Molly Ellis from McKinney Boyd High School in McKinney, Texas. Her three-minute documentary-style video is a narrative history of Katy, Texas, from its origins as a rural rice farming community to a growing city that still features rice dryers, street signs named after rice farmers, and an annual rice festival that celebrates the town’s heritage.
In addition to the research presentations, Dr. Mo Way, professor of entomology at Texas A&M University, and Bob Little, general manager of Rice Farmers Co-op in El Campo, were recognized on the occasion of their upcoming retirements. The morning of the conference they received, via mail, gifts of appreciation to thank and honor each for their many years of service and dedication to the Texas and U.S. rice industries. Via Zoom, both shared their gratitude for the recognition, and thanked the growers for their support and friendship during their careers.
Linscombe and Dr. Way began their rice careers in 1982 and have worked very closely since that time. Linscombe said, “Mo is by far the best rice entomologist I have known in the U.S. and internationally, and he has been a valuable contributor to numerous USA Rice endeavors. He and Bob Little provided years of valuable service to the rice industry.”