ag-formation

 

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE           Telephone (803) 734-2210
D. LESLIE TINDAL, COMMISSIONER           Becky Walton, Director of Public Information
P.O. Box 11280, Columbia, South Carolina 29211           bwalton@scda.state.sc.us
www.scda.state.sc.us            

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2002

Women Involved in Farm Economics National Convention

COLUMBIA---"Carolina in the Morning" will be the slogan when Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE) members from across the United States meet for their annual convention on November 13-16, 2002, at the Clarion Town House, 1615 Gervais Street in Columbia, SC.

Under a cooperative agreement with the Risk Management Agency (RMA) of the United States Department of Agriculture, the focus of the convention will be risk management tools as they relate to specialty crops. Emphasis will be placed on strawberries with parallels drawn to other similar specialty crops.

Convention activities will begin with a Media Training Workshop sponsored by CropLife America. Angela Bendorf Jamison of Comminicopia will be the facilitator. 

Senator Robert L. Waldrep, Jr, Chairman of the South Carolina Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, will be the keynote speaker on Thursday, Nov 14th. Also speaking on Thursday will be James R. Little, Administrator of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

At 9:45 a.m. on November 15th, Robert Wilkens of the RMA Valdosta office will give an overview of crop insurance programs and details of a pilot program to cover strawberry production. Beginning at 8:35 a.m. on November 16th, Dr Guido Schnabel and Dr. Jim Rathwell from Clemson University and J. Powell Smith with the Clemson Extension Service will discuss risks associated with strawberry production and marketing.

While WIFE members are developing policy and establishing priorities, husbands of WIFE (HOW’s) will be touring a cotton farm, cotton gin, cotton museum, and a local egg production and processing facility.

On Friday afternoon all convention participants will tour a year-round vegetable farm, a basket-making factory, and a Christmas tree farm. 

For more information, call Tammy Smith, SC WIFE President and State Convention Chairman, 803-438-1764, or Pamela Potthoff, National WIFE Media Relations, 308-276-2548.

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