The Jan. 28 Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association joint annual meeting has been cancelled due to a winter storm watch issued by the National Weather Service Forecast office in Lake Charles, La.

The trade fair and meetings were scheduled to be held at the International Rice Festival Building in Crowley, La., but with snow, ice, and sleet predicted for the region, organizers decided to cancel the event.

“We’ve never had to cancel these meetings before, but safety for our members must come first,” said Louisiana Rice Growers Association President John Owen.