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Texas
Agriculture Archive
February 21, 2003
Farm Bureau leaders
hone message in Austin
By Lana Robinson
Field Editor
A new year, a new legislature, but Texas Farm Bureau Leaders converging on Austin to assert their influence on lawmakers is not new. However, each ensuing legislative session, these grassroots lobbyists seem to have a better-honed message and a more refined approach in how best to effectively connect with and educate their state representatives and state senators in matters impacting agriculture and rural Texans.
Some 450 leaders from county Farm Bureaus around the state met for the organization's Leadership Conference in the capital city this month to engage in commodity discussions and receive briefings on proposed legislation and potential impacts, good or bad, for agriculture.
On day one, commodity division meetings for beef cattle, citrus, horticulture, nursery and greenhouse, cotton, dairy, wildlife, forestry and peanuts dominated the morning schedule. In the afternoon, producers participated in breakout sessions on range law/liability and packer ownership of cattle; trucking regulations, legislative issues/initiatives, public relations, animal health, the Conservation Security Act and a model groundwater lease. Later that evening, an appreciation dinner for former TFB President Donald Patman and his wife, Mary, was held in the Omni SouthPark Hotel, headquarters for the leadership activities.
The second day of the conference kicked off with a YF&R Breakfast, followed by a general session that morning that included remarks by Texas Farm Bureau President Kenneth Dierschke, a legislative update by the TFB legislative staff, and a lively talk by humorist Dr. Sonny Reynolds. Also that morning, State Rep. Anna Mowery (R-Fort Worth), new chair of the House Land and Resource Management Committee, explained the details of her legislation (H.B. 2200) dealing with annexation. Also speaking to the group was Robert Puente (D-San Antonio), who serves on the House Natural Resources Committee. Puente gave a concise and informative overview regarding complex water issues facing the state of Texas.
Following the County Presidents' Luncheon, leaders blitzed the state house with a list of priorities and favored legislation in hand. At the top of the list was opposition to any change to ag tax exemptions on feed, seed, fertilizer, and farm machinery and ag and open-space land use valuation. Close behind was opposition to an increase in the $1.50 per $100 valuation cap on school taxes and support for education funding alternatives that reduce the burden on local property taxpayers.
The list cited a number of goals regarding water, starting off with support of water conservation legislation that requires municipalities and water utilities to meet water conservation goals.
Legislation that protects landowners from condemnation of surface water rights and adequate compensation and protection for the condemnation of land for reservoirs or groundwater rights were two more water concerns among many.
Other issues on the list included support for legislation: 1) amending the Open Records Act to ensure confidentiality for landowners licensed to use predator control devices; 2) supporting adequate access and crossovers for adjacent landowners and ag producers along the proposed Trans Texas Corridor and that would ensure adequate protection and compensation in the condemnation of Corridor rights of way; 3) maintaining existing funding for ag programs, including boll weevil eradication program, brush control, Go Texan marketing program, weather modification program and the quail decline initiative; 4) giving counties the ability to take possession of private roads the county has maintained for more than 20 years; 5) ensuring any new land-use authority only applies to non-agricultural land; 6) supporting legislation to prohibit hunting in the riverbed and prohibiting motor vehicle access in riverbeds; and 7) enabling Texas to join the Southeast Dairy Compact.
Tuesday's activities concluded with a Legislative Dinner at the hotel attended by a number of Texas lawmakers and/or their representatives.
Commodity Division Meetings resumed Wednesday morning, with the hay and forage, horse, ratite, sheep and goat, wheat and feed grains and rice/soybean committees brainstorming and determining their individual group's priorities for the year.
