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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced speakers for the 2013 Agricultural Outlook Forum, “Managing Risk in the 21st Century,” Feb. 21-22 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, Arlington, VA. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will present the keynote address, followed by guest speaker former Sen. Thomas Daschle, currently a senior policy advisor with DLA Piper. USDA Chief Economist Joseph Glauber will present the 2013 U.S. Economic Outlook for Agriculture. In addition, a distinguished panel of speakers for the Feb. 21 plenary session includes: Bryan T. Durkin, chief operating officer, CME Group; David Baudler, president of Cargill AgHorizons; and Scott H. Irwin, Laurence J. Norton chair of Agricultural Marketing, University of Illinois. Mike Adams, AgriTalk Radio host, will moderate the panel. The Forum's dinner speaker on Feb. 21 will be Adam Sieminski, administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), addressing the “U.S. Energy Market Outlook.” A program schedule and registration are available at www.usda.gov/oce/forum. On Feb. 22, Chief Economist Glauber will moderate a panel titled, “Crop Insurance: A Global Perspective.” Panelists include Yves Salmon, advisor to the CEO, Groupama SA – Paris, France; Olivier Mahul, with the World Bank Group; and John Drakeford with Aon Benfield, an English insurance company. The discussion will focus on the role of crop insurance in risk management, reinsurance, and the changing face of the U.S. and foreign crop insurance. Among the 25 breakout sessions are other risk-management sessions and 85 distinguished experts in the fields of international trade, forestry, conservation, transportation, energy, nutrition, local foods and food safety. The forum continues to feature the traditional USDA commodity supply and demand and food price outlooks. USDA has hosted the Agricultural Outlook Forum since 1923 to provide farmers and ranchers, government, and agribusinesses with sound information for decision-making. Attendees are expected to include members of farm organizations, food and fiber firms, academia, foreign governments and the news media. Individual speakers' topics and biographies are available at www.usda.gov/oce/forum. Registration is $375 until Jan. 22, 2013, and $425 thereafter. Plenary speeches will be Webcast after 6 p.m. EST on Feb. 21, and breakout session speeches and presentations will be posted online after 6 p.m. Feb. 22. |