By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Dr. Joe Outlaw addressed the audience at the recent Ag Forum in San Antonio. — Staff photo by Taylor

May 18, 2006 - Dr. Joe Outlaw wears many hats, as was represented at the recent Texas Ag Forum held in San Antonio on May 1.  

Along with being co-director, professor, and Extension economist for the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University, Outlaw is secretary for the Texas Ag Forum steering committee, representing Texas Cooperative Extension, College Station.

The steering committee is the group who makes decisions for programs at the Texas Ag Forum programs.  According to literature, this Forum “is an association of agricultural leaders and representatives from across the Texas food and fiber system.”

Funded over 20 years ago, the objective was to provide a forum for open and public discussions concerning problems and issues involved in agriculture. The meetings are open to the general public, so there is usually a “mixed variety” of attendees.

This year’s forum was the first to be held in a couple of years, but with plans developing for the 2007 Farm Bill, the steering committee decided it would be a good time to gather producers and those interested in agri-business involved.

Outlaw told those gathered at the May 1 Ag Forum that 28 states volunteered to fill out a 2007 “preference survey” concerning commodity programs, international trade and a miscellaneous group of ag issues that would be addressed in the 2007 Farm Bill.

Working along with Robin Roark, director of the Texas Agricultural Statistics Service for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Outlaw assisted in the sending out of around 250,000 surveys. Of those returned, the largest number came from those age 45-years-old and up (which is no surprise with the aging of Texas producers).

Producers’ income has continued to decline, according to the surveys returned to date. A full report is expected to be ready this summer. From what surveys have shown, at this time, there are several important points to be considered.

First, Texans answering the survey maintain that the goals of the Farm Bill should be to enhance farm income; increase competition; and above all … assure food and energy security for all Texans, as well as the rest of the country.

Concerning funding, Outlaw noted the surveyed group believes in direct payments to producers and tying price to product. Higher risk management and disaster assistance were high on the list, too.

The survey also, so far, shows only 35 percent noted they believed in buyouts, and a mandatory COOL program isn’t favored by a lot, nor is voluntary COOL, although it was admitted that government requirement of animal ID could be valuable in testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

As Outlaw said, these are results from Texas, and it is yet to be seen what happens in the other states involved in the survey. It’s a “wait and see” situation until the final report is available, this summer.