Governor addresses ICA crowd; Texas' livestock industry has $9 billion annual impact on economy

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

July 4, 2002 -- "Texas farmers and ranchers can compete with anybody in the world, as long as we have a level playing field," according to the state's governor who spoke at the recent Independent Cattlemen's Association annual meeting in San Antonio.

Gov. Rick Perry addressed several topics important to Texas farmers, ranchers, and rural residents - topics that affect their field of income.

Perry said he was very proud of his ranching heritage, his time in the legislature and as Agriculture Commissioner, but he has a lot of trouble with the "death taxes" debate. He said he was proud of the "collective voices" concerning animal health requirements, based on science, and opposes anything "not good for the ag industry.

"Over the years, we've seen the livestock industry grow in the state and now, it is the number one generator of dollars in the State of Texas, relative to agriculture ... some $9 billion a year that we impact the State of Texas economy," he added.

Like many other ag related professionals, Perry admitted that there is an "up-hill" battle on Capitol Hill, concerning agriculture, because of the number of urban congressmen and women who do not really understand the impact ag has on the nation.

"One of our jobs is to continue to talk about this industry, especially to people whether they're from a major metropolitan area or ... for that matter ... from a state who doesn't have a lot of ag, how important it is to the strategic well being of America that we continue to have an ag industry and a livestock industry, in particular, that's strong, that's vibrant, that's given a fair and level playing field," Perry stated.

The Texas cattle industry is more than twice the size of any other state, and Texas makes sure that our food supply is safe through laws and other measures determined by our legislature and the ag commission, according to Perry.

Recently, Perry worked to create a specialized group to work with foreign animal disease, and added the group as a "full-fledged" member of the State Emergency Management Council. "The prevention of foreign animals, as well as planned response to an outbreak, has never been more important than it is today," he said.

In a related topic, Perry said the recent change in the state's tuberculosis status for cattle is being addressed in an "appropriate and timely, fair way," and hopes to have that under control very quickly.

Concerning other issues facing producers, Perry related that diversification is still a primary concern for agriculture, if they are to stay in business.

"If a rural Texas can prosper, I think we have to work towards a more diverse economy. We've got to give these young Texans, here, the opportunity to live in a state where there is a more and more diverse economy, to help expand trade, to help create more job opportunities, to reinforce public resources into the the rural areas of the state," he said.

Perry believes that the new Trans Texas Corridor will help Texas, including the rural areas, as it allows for the move of Texas products all over the state more quickly, as well as carrying our ag industry out of state and on into the world markets, he said.

The governor drew laughter from the audience by stating that he was in the top 10 of his class ... in a class of 13. He said that students, now, aren't just competing with their classmates, but the world of new graduates.

"Our children live in a worldwide competition, a global economy. The preparation of our children for that global economy should be first and foremost our most important issue...," Perry added.

"I'm always going to be an advocate of the ag community. You'll always have an advocate in the governor's office, as long as I have the great privilege to serve in that role," he said in closing.

(Perry, a Republican, will face the Democratic candidate for governor, Tony Sanchez, in the November election.)