ARLINGTON, VA – The USA Rice Outlook Conference, the largest annual rice specific meeting in North America, will take place this year in San Diego with speakers looking into the future and our past. USA Rice has announced food futurologist Dr. Morgaine Gaye as the keynote speaker for day one of the conference, and author and historian Daniel Stone as the keynote speaker for day two.
Dr. Gaye looks at food and eating from a social, cultural, economic, trend, branding, and geo-political perspective as far out as 10 years into the future. Based in the United Kingdom, Dr. Gaye travels the world identifying trends and opportunities for global companies including Coke, Nestle, Mars, and Samsung.
Dr. Gaye will share with Outlook attendees her insights into how people are changing the way they shop, eat, and cook, and what it is going to mean for the rice industry in the future. She will identify opportunities for the industry and niches we may not even yet have an idea will be out there.
Daniel Stone is a writer on environmental science, agriculture, and botany who will take a decided look back in his Outlook talk.
Having written for
National Geographic, Newsweek, Time Magazine, The Washington Post, and more, Stone most recently authored “
The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats” about American food spy David Fairchild who introduced hundreds of crops to Americans including avocados, seedless grapes, soybeans, and other favorites.
Stone will share Fairchild’s story and explain how he shaped the way Americans eat today, along with additional facts about modern agriculture, food, and taste he learned while researching the book.
“We are thrilled to present these two wonderful speakers with unique takes on our history and our future to Outlook attendees,” said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. “We will also be expanding our educational offerings, celebrating leaders in our industry, introducing the new Rice Leadership Development Program class, and sponsoring a packed trade show.”
The USA Rice Outlook Conference will take place December 5-7, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. For information on sponsoring, exhibiting, or registering, please visit
www.usarice.com/outlook.