The Rolling Plains Cotton Growers (RPCG) Annual Meeting will be held virtually rather than in person, Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Producer and RPCG President Mark Wright will open the meeting at 10 a.m., followed by RPCG Chairman and cotton producer Richard Gaona.

"With a new administration, we thought it was important, even though we can't meet in person, to meet virtually and update our farmers and ranchers about what to expect and where different programs are headed," Gaona said.

RPCG Chairman and cotton producer Richard Gaona, Roby, Texas. (Photo by Shelley E. Huguley)

Program overviews will be given by The Cotton Board Southwest Regional Communications Manager Christi Short, and National Cotton Council Chairman Kent Fountain. Washington D.C. and ag policy updates will also be presented by Reece Langley, NCC vice president, Washington Operations, and Bart Fischer, co-director of the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center.

As Gaona and producers in his region consider the 2021 season, he said they are relieved commodity prices are increasing but remain concerned about their soil moisture. "We've got good underground moisture now but later on what is it going to do? Also, 2021 is the year that everybody has to decide whether they want to go with ARC or PLC. We'll be trying to get information out so producers can make those decisions as well."

Gaona said he's going to miss meeting in person and misses face-to-face interaction with the other producers. "Used to we discussed these kinds of things with each other at meetings, in between sessions. We would get ideas from each other and reactions about the information presented. Hopefully, we can get back to having meetings like we did before."

To attend RPCG's annual meeting through the Zoom platform, click here. The Meeting ID is 971 6111 9876 and the passcode is 450810. Participants can also join the meeting by phone by dialing 326-248-7799. 

For questions or more information, contact RPCG Executive Vice President Lauren Decker at [email protected].