Combs listens to Northeast Texans’ comments on rural issues

By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

Texas Ag Commissioner Susan Combs also explained various programs available through TDA which can benefit rural residents and producers. --Staff photo by Kramer

Oct. 13, 2005 - Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs hosted her 17th town hall meeting on Oct. 5 in Mount Pleasant.

Combs met at the Titus County courthouse to discuss rural issues with those in attendance. 

During the planning stages for the town hall meetings, Combs made the goal very clear. 

�Agriculture and rural communities face so many challenges, and I want to know firsthand about local concerns and issues,� Combs said. �Some regions of Texas have very specific needs, and by working with producers, industry groups and community leaders, we can address these issues to ensure that agriculture and rural Texas remain strong throughout the state.�

The early morning meeting gave Combs the chance to educate her constituents on Texas Department of Agriculture programs.  She stressed the importance of rural development, and the vital role it plays on the survival of rural communities. 

In fact, rural communities have been her primary focus for the town hall meetings. She said most are being held in towns with a population under 20,000.

Combs announced a $1 million grant that the Texas Yes! program will use over the next two years. The funds will be distributed in $5,000 grants and will be matched by the grant recipient for beautification projects.

She also noted that she secured a $500,000 grant for feral hog research after hearing concerns from the residents of East Texas. 

Animal identification was discussed. Combs encouraged producers to register for a premise identification number with Texas Animal Health Commission, as part of the developing National Identification System. The system will keep track of animals that are moved on and off a property. Producers can register all their fields under one premise number, or register each field separately, but Combs noted that more numbers requires more paperwork when animals are moved to another field.

Currently premise identification is voluntary, but is expected to become mandatory in the next few years. Combs also noted that there is no deadline for premise identification registration.

Rural development was also highlighted. Combs said rural communities should take advantage of their unique aspects and work with surrounding rural areas and counties to create tourism opportunities through a cooperative effort.

�The number one destination in Texas is rural Texas,� she pointed out. �They want to get out of town.�

Combs took time to discuss the Go Texan program that helps market Texas-produced products. Members of Go Texan pay $25 a year and the TDA will aggressively market their products.

On other rural development issues, Mount Pleasant Mayor Jerry Boatner voiced his concern that the impact of bringing 100 jobs to a rural community, like his, is often overlooked by agencies. Combs vowed to investigate the situation.

�I couldn�t agree more with you about the very high impact of a low number of jobs,� she said.

Water rights were briefly discussed. Combs said water legislation would come in the future.

Reservoirs, including the proposed Marvin Nichols project, were a topic, and most kept their opinions to themselves, but Combs explained why the situation is so controversial.

�The issue with reservoirs is you have so much land taken from (agriculture) production,� she said.

Bill Priefert, president of Priefert Ranch Equipment, said he felt most people in the Mt. Pleasant area supported the Marvin Nichols effort but their neighbors to the north, mainly farmers and ranchers, were responsible for the opposition.

�I do hear a lot of landowners who express concern,� said Combs.

She said other small reservoir projects have been less controversial because they create a few smaller reservoirs instead of one large reservoir that takes a huge chunk of land out of production.

She summed up the issue referring to legislation she helped piece together a few years ago. 

�Water is to be considered a property right,� she said.

The town hall meetings allow Combs to get a personal account of problems and concerns facing the people of rural Texas. In addition, she had some time to personally explain the opportunities awaiting small communities in the Lone Star state.