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Texas Agriculture Archive

April 4, 2003

Bill would move TSWCB under TDA authority

The Texas Legislature has now completed half of the 78^th Legislative Session.

The budget, and finding a way to meet the state's needs without raising taxes, is still the number one topic in Austin. Government efficiency has been studied in depth this session as a way to save taxpayers' money without decreasing services provided to Texans.

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), our state agency responsible for non-point source agriculture pollution, brush control, and erosion prevention, has been targeted as an agency that could be operated more efficiently. To gain this efficiency, the legislature is considering placing the board under the direction of the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. Sen. Kip Averitt of Waco filed SB 1828 proposing the transfer of the oversight for the State Soil and Water Conservation Board.

Sen. Averitt, and other supporters of the bill, believe that making this transition provides for more government efficiency. Supporters believe that the Texas Department of Agriculture already administers programs similar to the programs delivered by the State Soil and Water Conservation Board; therefore, the two agencies could share administrative cost and other resources and, as a result, money would be saved.

The bill maintains the current board that is elected by the soil and water conservation districts. The board will still have the authority to make decisions regarding all the programs currently operated by the agency. The effect of placing the board under the Ag Commissioner's direction has its biggest impact on the TSSWCB's budget. Since the board will operate under the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Ag Commissioner will control the budget for agency programs. Thus, the Commissioner can influence the decisions of the board and the operations of the agency through the budget process.

Texas Farm Bureau policy supports the State Soil and Water Conservation Board as it is currently constituted. Therefore, we will oppose Sen. Averitt's legislation. However, it is critical that Texas Farm Bureau members who oppose this legislation contact their state senator and representative. Without grassroots support, it will be difficult to defeat this legislation in this severe budget-cutting session.