"National Cotton Council delegates face a major challenge in charting a course of action to restore the U.S. cotton industry’s economic health," NCC Chairman James Echols said. "Enactment of more effective farm and trade policies will receive major attention during the meeting."

Echols will cover the state of the U.S. cotton industry and outline a plan of action in his address to the general session. Joining him, Secretary Veneman and Sen. Hutchison on the program will be Charlie Cook, a Washington political analyst, and J. Berrye Worsham, III, president and chief executive officer of Cotton Incorporated.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) will address the National Cotton Ginners Association’s annual meeting on Feb. 9. Earlier that day, Drs. Mark Lange and Kent Lanclos will present NCC’s economic outlook report to a joint session of the NCC’s 6 program committees. A special luncheon will feature Scott O’Grady, the Air Force fighter pilot who survived after being shot down over Bosnia.

Among key sessions on Feb. 8 will be: the NCC’s Policy Advisory Committee on Trade, the Cotton Council International Board of Directors and the American Cotton Producers (ACP), the NCC’s producer policy development group. Results of the NCC’s annual Planting Intentions Survey, which provides the first insights into growers’ plans for the ’02 season, will be announced at the ACP meeting.