Mid-Tex Show features B.I.G. Conference

By JULIET BRISKIN | Central Texas Edition

Mitch Cooper with the TDH discusses the threat of bio-terrorism to the water supply. He stated that drought is the biggest threat to U.S. water. -Staff photo by Briskin

January 24, 2002 -- The Texas Cooperative Extension, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and TXU sponsored the 40th annual Blackland Income Growth Conference in Waco, Jan. 15-16. The conference was held in conjunction with the Mid-Tex Farm and Ranch Show.

During the conference experts from all over the country came to share their knowledge on such topics as the threat of bioterrorism to public drinking water systems, the status of grasshoppers in Texas forages and the overall health of the agricultural industry.

Mitch Cooper of the Texas Department of Health was on hand to allay fears about bio-terrorist threats to public drinking water systems. "The biggest threat to the drinking water in Texas is still drought," he stated. He went on to say that there is an extremely low probability that a bio-terrorist threat to the water system exists, but if it did happen the consequences would be severe.

Cooper impressed upon the group that planning and preparedness are the best ways to prevent a catastrophe. He suggested that water system managers do a vulnerability study and set up action plans to counter any threats. "You have a drought plan, right?" he asked. "Why not a terrorism plan?"

Sam Tessen, director of the newly created Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA), was one of the featured speakers during the agricultural forum. "We have an opportunity here to create something in the state government that presents a forum to bring together all the interests that are rural," Tessen said of the new office.

According to Tessen, Texas is losing a significant number of rural legislators to suburban and urban legislators. "How do we sell 'rural' to a preponderance of legislators that count on 80-85 percent of the vote for their election coming from the urban and suburban sector?" Tessen asked.

This is going to be one of the major challenges for ORCA. According to Tessen, ORCA will begin by conducting a rural assessment to be presented to the state legislature. "This agency can determine its own agenda," he stated "and we have to come up with a set of priorities that we can fight for." He went on to state that it is imperative for rural citizens to "work together for the sake of the community."

In addition to policy discussions, the B.I.G. conference hosted numerous seminars on soil and crop sciences.

Dr. James Robinson, Extension entomologist, discussed the status of grasshoppers in Texas forages. "No matter where you are you will have some kind of insect problem," he said. Due to the dry conditions the past few years, grasshoppers have been one of the most prolific problems in many parts of the state and especially in Central Texas, he explained.

According to Robinson farmers in a row crop area tend to kill more grasshoppers by simply tilling the land. "But along the fence rows, pastures and drainage ditches the eggs survive," he said. "We did see a slight decrease in the grasshopper population overall last year; perhaps not at your place but overall there was a decrease." Robinson also stated that he believes Texas will experience a significant decrease in grasshoppers over the next few years.

Next year's event is scheduled for Jan. 24-25, 2003.