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By Tom Nicolette
Director of Media Services
It's noon on another Wednesday in Stephenville, and time for the local Optimist Club meeting. The room is full of area businessmen and women. The mood is upbeat and friendly. A meal is served and the program begins. The club's president, July Danley, presides over the meeting.
This is just one of the numerous community functions July is involved in as executive director of the
Tri-County Agribusiness Association. In her role, she addresses the challenges of promoting agriculture in
Comanche, Erath and Hamilton counties. Dairy leads the list of ag industries, followed by beef production and farming. Hunting,
nurseries and horses are the three fastest growing industries.
"Our main message is that agriculture is the leading industry in our area. We encourage people to be proud of that and to support our local agricultural producers," July said. "Along with that message," she continued, "is that the producers in our area with those agricultural revenues are a huge impact on our economy. We would not enjoy the quality of life we have if it weren't for that income from the agricultural producers."
The Tri-County Agribusiness Association is a non-profit organization formed to promote agribusiness through a variety of activities. July organizes educational and fun ag-related community events and gets the message out on the importance of agriculture through public relations such as media contacts.
"When I meet with the newspapers and radio stations...we are trying to have positive communication for the agricultural industry in the area. We are definitely trying to establish a positive relationship...so that when any news comes about that is ag-related, they (the media) can have a resource where they can get the facts, they can get the science, they can actually have a contact to speak with a dairyman, farmer or rancher to get their perspective. We also try to increase the number of times agriculture is spotlighted," July explained.
The Tarleton State University graduate enjoys her career because she finds herself doing something different every day. Creating marketing strategies and writing a monthly newsletter for the association's members keep the executive director busy.
But one of July's greatest desires is to become active in developing more agriculture programs for youth. Currently, she helps organize farm safety programs for children along with a Kids & Cows & More pro-gram...a full day of education for the children where they actually see what happens on a farm.
This ambassador for agriculture keeps an upbeat attitude as she travels the tri-county region, realizing that not everybody is directly involved in agriculture. However, she makes clear that everybody living in the area is impacted by agriculture.
July believes growing up on a farm, like she did in New Mexico, instills a very strong work ethic.
"I believe those qualities have helped me to understand the importance of any job. You have to be dedicated to it and you have to be responsible in what you're given the opportunity to do," she concluded.
