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EPA officials, Farm Bureau leaders share information
By Lana Robinson
Field Editor
Texas Farm Bureau leaders and staff had several recent opportunities to share information about the organization and agriculture with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials.
At the invitation of Miguel Flores, EPA Region 6 Water Quality Protection Division director, TFB staff from the Commodity and Regulatory Activities and Research, Education, and Policy Development divisions participated in an ag fair held at EPA headquarters in Dallas, Sept. 23. The TFB staff took an "Ag in the Classroom Mobile Learning Barn." Then on Sept. 29, Texas Farm Bureau hosted a tour for a select group of EPA staff to tour the "Planet Agriculture" exhibit at the State Fair of Texas.
"It was a very productive meeting," reported Ned Meister, TFB director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. "Region 6 EPA Administrator Richard Greene led a delegation of EPA staff and leadership, an ag committee of water, air, and pesticide staff. Our leadership was there to lead the discussions and talk about the various commodities they produce. The EPA people demonstrated a lot of interest. The comments I heard afterwards were very positive."
Stan Hitt, senior agricultural advisor for Region 6 EPA, said the networking was very good for the regional agency's ag committee, responsible for many functions and job duties related to agriculture. He said both the EPA Ag Fair and the subsequent Planet Ag exhibit tour would be opportunities to "pollinate that and let it grow a little bit."
"The people on the ag committee do a good job of communicating with each other, to the degree they can, about common agricultural issues and points of concerns," said Hitt. "But they work on ag related issues, within a very defined field, or area, of agriculture, and don't get to see the bigger picture. This was strictly for those folks, to help them get the bigger picture. And we felt both events were opportunities to get to know each other better and to feel more comfortable in approaching one another on an issue."
TFB President Kenneth Dierschke of San Angelo welcomed the group, handled introductions, and kicked off the tour. Dist. 5 State Director Don Smith, a Sulphur Springs dairyman, presented a thorough overview of the dairy industry using the "Planet Agriculture" displays, models and charts as a backdrop. EPA staff asked many questions, including how much milk a cow produces, how much she eats, length of the productive life of the cow, intensity of milking practices and their impact on the cow, milk prices, etc. The three-man team of TFB Vice President Lloyd Arthur (Dist. 2), Dist. 13 State Director Bobby Nedbalek, and Dist. 10 State Director Thomas Boehme, who grow cotton in the Southern High Plains, Coastal Bend, and Southwest Texas, respectively, gave an overview of cotton production in the different growing regions. James Gipe, TFB's director of Urban Relations, followed up with a cotton ginning demonstration using the "Planet Ag" mini-gin. Dist. 8 State Director Dan Dierschke of Austin, who was recently tapped to chair the 2005 Texas Beef Council board, gave a presentation on beef cattle. Dist. 9 State Director Albert Thompson of Martin-sville highlighted the poultry industry prominent in his part of East Texas, and also talked about beef cattle production there. Dist. 11 State Director Bob Reed, a Bay City area rice producer, gave the EPA group an overview of the Texas rice industry, from field to the mill. Dist. 3 Director Steve Cochran explained to the entourage what Farm Bureau is and stands for.
Also present for the tour was Dist. 4 State Director Joe Kapavik and his wife, Wilma Kapavik; Binnie Dierschke; Marilyn Smith; and various TFB staffers.
Following the tour, Meister addressed a group of about 80 people in EPA's water division who were holding a retreat at the fair.
"I spoke to them about the water issues as they relate to agriculture. Their charge was to go to the fair, look and observe. They are trying to learn what they can about the business of agriculture, so the whole day was oriented to agriculture," said Meister.
