The Georgia Cotton Commission has announced the guest speakers for the commission’s 2026 mid-year meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the Nesmith-Lane Conference Center in Statesboro.
Guest Speakers
The program speakers are Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center and Bev Sylvester, chief marketing officer at Cotton Incorporated.
- Rusty Rumley is a senior staff attorney with the National Agricultural Law Center and was born and raised on a family farm in Cogar, Oklahoma. Rumley’s primary areas of interest are in estate planning, taxation, business organizations, landowner liability, industrial hemp, leasing and agritourism.
- Bev Sylvester is the chief marketing officer at Cotton Incorporated where she leads the organization’s marketing strategy across the textile and apparel value chain and consumer marketplace. She oversees trade and consumer marketing initiatives designed to increase the use of cotton in products and reinforce global demand for cotton.
Meeting Specifics
The meeting is held in conjunction with the University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Pre-Harvest Workshop conducted by members of the UGA Research & Extension Cotton Team. The UGA Cotton Pre-Harvest Workshop will feature a program where attendees receive updates highlighting this year’s crop, with a focus on agronomic and pest management considerations, as well as timely regulatory information that will help producers make future decisions.
During the lunch program, the 2025 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards will be presented. There is no charge to attend. Pre-registration is requested to help with meal plans. Register online at www.georgiacottoncommission.org.
Source: Georgia Cotton Commission