Staff report
Published Nov. 6, 2009

The deputy secretary of the U.S. Agriculture Department will be the keynote speaker at the Agribusiness Summit hosted by the Palmetto Institute on Nov. 13.

The summit is being held at the Francis Marion Hotel from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Kathleen Merrigan has expertise in developing sustainable agricultural policy and has worked with the United Nations and in the U.S. Senate committee on agriculture, nutrition and forestry.

The theme of this year’s summit is The Drive to 50 by 20. Speakers and topics will explore how to increase the state’s agribusiness industry from its current $34 billion to $50 billion by 2020.

Other speakers will include Hugh Weathers, state commissioner for agriculture; Gene Kodama, S.C. state forester; Darla Moore, Palmetto Institute board chair; and Billy Ray Hall, president of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center.

There will also be a forum with the 2010 gubernatorial candidates, who will be speaking on their positions in regards to agribusiness issues and how they can help the state achieve the goal of $50 billion by 2020. The town hall forum will be moderated by David Winkles, president of the S.C. Farm Bureau.

For more information on the summit, go online.