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Texas Agriculture Archive

January 3, 2003

Water tops
Farm Bureau concerns

As the Lone Star State's population continues to grow and water supplies continue to shrink, Texas Farm Bureau delegates took a hard look at this precious natural resource at their 69^th annual meeting.

Continuing to recognize that Farm Bureau policy needs to move beyond the all-inclusive rule of capture to address realities such as water marketing and potential water shortages, delegates favored a number of changes in both ground water and surface water policy. Recommendations adopted at the state level become policy for the organization to follow in the coming year.

In addressing water marketing and the potential impact on those in an area who choose not to market their water, and continuing opposition to any state control of groundwater, delegates recommended that groundwater conservation districts be allowed to set unrestricted fees on water leaving their district. They also supported a requirement for districts to assess a mitigation fee on high impact municipal or industrial users, and suggested districts use revenues from this fee to mitigate any damage to landowners.

Delegates opposed legislation resulting in unfunded mandates for conservation measures for historic water use, and supported legislation requiring any new appropriations or any new water permits be subject to conservation requirements. "Municipalities and water utilities that have taxing authority or collect fees for water, should be required to impose water conservation measures," delegates said, noting that both urban and rural areas should be responsible for wise water use.

In the area of eminent domain, delegates strongly supported enactment of legislation requiring that landowners be compensated for the value of natural resources if the property is being condemned to acquire those natural resources, including groundwater. Addressing surface water, delegates opposed condemnation of surface water rights except for "domestic, essential municipal or livestock use necessary to sustain life."

In the ongoing Rio Grande Valley water crisis, where Mexico has failed to deliver water to Rio Grande reservoirs as specified in the 1944 water treaty between the U.S. and Mexico, delegates reaffirmed their support for Texas and U.S. government efforts to solve the crisis. They supported federalandstate programs designed to help Texas agribusiness as a result of Mexico's non-compliance, and supported financing improvements for water delivery systems along the Rio Grande. They also opposed efforts to amend reclamation laws that would negatively affect the priority of water allocation for ag use and would reduce the U.S. Secretary of Interior's authority to direct water usage.

In other action, in an effort to help Texas and the U.S. develop alternative energy sources, delegates supported the creation of a renewable fuel producer assessment fund, financed by an assessment on each gallon of ethanol or biodiesel produced. The resolution suggested that this fund be matched with funds from the State of Texas fuel, ethanol and biodiesel production account, overseen and administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

In other action, delegates:

• Supported the quail initiative funding requested by the Office of Rural Community Affairs to the state legislature.

• Recommended that the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation develop a procedure to ensure that cotton harvesting equipment and raw cotton products being transported into established boll weevil eradication zones are boll weevil free.

• Recommended the Texas Animal Health Commission work toward a quick solution with the United States Department of Agriculture to ship cattle out of Texas to TB free states, and recommended that the Texas Cattle and Deer Tuberculosis Management Plan use the zone approach to control movement of cattle exposed to TB-infected herds.

On the national level delegates approved a cost of living adjustment on all farm program payments and payment limitations. They recommended development of a basic right-to-farm, right-to-harvest, right-to-access roads and highways policy.

Adopted national policies are forwarded to the American Farm Bureau Federation for consideration at their annual convention this month.