The Southern Southeastern Annual Meeting will be held Jan. 17-20 at the Marriott Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This organization represents cotton growers and ginners throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Every year, more than 600 participants come together to gather information and network with major industry suppliers.
The event kicks off Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 17, with the Finance Committee meeting for the Southeastern Cotton Ginners and the Farm Policy Committee meeting for the Southern Cotton Growers.
“The theme for the 2018 annual meeting is ‘Staying The Course,’” says David Ruppenicker, CEO, Southern Cotton Growers. “From experience, we know what must come to pass to maintain profitability in the cotton industry moving forward. We just have to go out and get it. The agenda we’ve put together for the Farm Policy Committee meeting directs our focus on the issues at hand with the goal of sustainability in mind.”
Opening Agenda
On Thursday, Jan. 18, state grower meetings begin at 8 a.m. Board of Directors’ meetings for the Southeastern Cotton Ginners and Southern Cotton Growers start at 1:30 p.m. All of these meetings are open to attendees.
The General Session convenes at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18, and features an outstanding lineup of topics and speakers. Joe Nicosia with Allenberg in Memphis, Tenn., will present the Cotton Situation & Outlook, and Cotton Council International Executive Director Bruce Atherley will give the CCI Update. The morning session wraps up with the National Cotton Ginners’ update from David Blakemore and the Committee for the Advancement of Southeast Cotton report from Chairman David Dunlow.
Breakout sessions featuring panel discussions will be held during the afternoon. Topics include a cottonseed update, H-2A and how it works, and plastic contamination.
The annual Presidential Reception is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday and will feature The Summertime Band.
Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting begins Saturday, Jan. 20, at 9 a.m. The keynote speaker is Harry Ott, South Carolina Farm Bureau president. Several other presentations will be made, and the Southeastern Cotton Ginner of the Year will be announced.
“We’re covering a wide variety of topics from farm policy to immigration to contamination and bringing in nationally known experts in their fields,” says Dusty Findley, CEO, Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association. “This is the event for cotton in the region. Nowhere else in the Southeast will you find all these topics discussed in one place.”