Feb 20, 2015
ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation Government Affairs Conference starts Monday, February 23, in Washington, DC with an impressive list of important and powerful ag speakers, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
Conference participants will also hear from Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), the new chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration; House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN).
Mike Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the Food and Drug Administration, and Phil Karsting, Administrator at the Foreign Agriculture Service will also speak during the event.
The annual conference is an opportunity for USA Rice members to meet with Members of Congress and government agencies to share rice industry priorities.
"The 114thCongress was sworn in earlier this year with 64 brand new Members and significant changes on committees," USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely explained. "We will use this Government Affairs Conference to make a major advocacy push and educate these decision makers on the areas that are important to U.S. rice."
The latest Rice Leadership Development Class will be honored during the event, and conservation partners USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited will co-sponsor a Congressional lunch on Tuesday, February 24.
Contact: Julie Vieburg (703) 236-1467