Greenwood Commonwealth
Ark. Senator To Speak At Delta Council Meeting
Staff Report
U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas will be the keynote speaker for the 88th annual meeting of Delta Council on June 2.
The meeting will be held at Delta State University’s Bologna Performing Arts Center (BPAC) in Cleveland.
“We are looking forward to the traditional celebration of regional cooperation through the work of Delta Council,” said Wade Litton, president of the organization. “In addition to all the customary activities that are part of Delta Council Day, we are also honored that Senator Boozman’s colleague, our own Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, will introduce him to the audience.”
John Boozman is Arkansas’ senior U.S. senator and the dean of the state’s congressional delegation. A fifth-generation Arkansan, Boozman was raised in Fort Smith and went on to play football for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.
He graduated from the Southern College of Optometry in 1977 and entered private practice that same year, co-founding a family business with his brother that would ultimately become a major provider of eye care to Northwest Arkansas.
He advocates for economic policies that help small businesses continue to grow and add jobs to the economy. He has been a consistent champion for farmers, ranchers and loggers and was instrumental in the fight for an equitable farm bill.
Sen. Boozman serves as the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry during the 118th Congress. This position enables him to play a key role in influencing policy that relates to the agriculture economy, nutrition programs and quality of life in rural America. He will also continue to serve on the Committee on Appropriations, which is responsible for allocating federal funds, and the Committee on the Environment and Public Works, where much of the nation’s infrastructure policy is developed.
First elected to the Senate in 2010, Sen. Boozman was sworn in for a third term on Jan. 3, 2023. Prior to serving in the Senate, he represented the people of the Third District of Arkansas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He is married to the former Cathy Marley, and they currently reside in Rogers, Arkansas. The couple has three daughters and four grandchildren.
The 2023 Delta Council Day will commence with the 20th Annual Salute to Delta Honor Graduates Event at 9 a.m., held outside the Bologna Performing Arts Center on the lawn. Delta Council will welcome the high school graduates, their families, and school officials and present the graduates with awards. The event honors two exemplary students from each of the high schools throughout the Mississippi Delta region, including public, parochial and private schools. In addition, a $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to the top Delta Honor Graduate selected by higher education officials in the Delta. The Top Delta Honor Graduate will be recognized on stage at the Delta Council Annual Meeting during the business session.
At 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the BPAC, after the inaugural presentation of the colors and God and Country, the business session will proceed into the recognition of the 2023 Delta Council Community Service Award and the tradition of the Wear Cotton contest. Among other features of the business session, including a recap of the year’s challenges and opportunities, will be the introduction of the 2023-2024 Delta Council officers.
The meeting will be highlighted by a message from Boozman.
The tradition of a fried catfish luncheon and Achievement Awards Ceremony will wrap up Delta Council Day on the grounds of the Quadrangle on the Delta State campus.
Sponsors for the meeting are BankPlus, Catfish Farmers of Mississippi, Delta State University, Mississippi Corn Promotion Board, Mississippi Land Bank, Mississippi Rice Promotion Board, Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board, Simplot Grower Solutions, Southern Ag Credit and U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.