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Ag issues will affect all |
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By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition |
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November 7, 2002 -- With this election year winding down, Texans involved in agriculture will need to keep a close eye on what happens during the 78th Legislative Session, which begins in January. According to Shane Sklar, executive director of the Texas Independent Cattlemen's Association (ICA), issues facing the ag industry will affect every Texan, in one way or another. Speaking to a group at the recent South Central Texas Cow and Calf Clinic in Brenham, Sklar urged producers to become more active in the politics of the industry. "Money will dictate what will happen and what can happen in Austin," he said. Not only will the political issues involve producers, feeders and packers, but retail, and all the way down to the consumer of these products ... food to leather. "We need to let our urban neighbors know that many concerns of theirs are our concerns, too," he added. With all of the activists concerned with the humane treatment of animals and organic foods, Sklar urged everyone to be activists for the ag industry. "Last year was a very big year for ag with the Farm Bill. Most of that stuff deals with the farming side of the industry, but there's also some major things that went on with beef producers," said Sklar. He touched on the money set aside for reserve, such as EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program), as well as the new country of origin labeling and ownership of cattle. In defining "country of origin," Sklar said "it was determined that if the label of a producer was a USA label, that animal had to be born, raised and processed in the USA." While he said he realized that the new labeling will not be a "cure all," he believes it will be better than the generic USDA label that has been used in the past, since that does not tell the consumer anything about where the product came from. "In a few years time, you're going to be able to walk into a grocery store, wherever it may be ... and determine if you want to buy American, Australian or Mexican beef," he explained. He believes American producers will have a "value added" product that consumers will look for in their purchases. As far as the on-going conversations concerning packers and cattle ownership, Sklar believes the Johnson Amendment should put the controversy to rest. It has been a general consensus that packers were manipulating producers and feeders as well. "What this (amendment) will do is ban packers from owning cattle 14 days prior to sale," said Sklar. He believes ICA's interest in the issue helped put the situation in the national spotlight, and that various interested people submitted suggestions as to how to "fix" the livestock markets. "I think we're headed in the right direction. Being activists is what made that happen," he explained. After the elections are all settled and the new Texas Legislature is in session, Sklar expects more "common sense" answers to problems for the ag industry. Recent redistricting has caused a loss in rural representation, and Sklar anticipates a longer "learning curve" to be in order to update new, urban representatives. "This (redistricting) proved to be pretty bad for rural Texas. We lost, at the onset of that, about nine rural representatives. Out of the Texas House of Representatives, 150 members, about 50 of them are probably going to be freshman, this time around," he said. Some of those affected were the chairmen of committees that concerned ag issues, and many were leaders, said Sklar. "They're (new representatives) not from (the) country. They're going to know little or nothing about ag. I'm not saying they should be blamed for not knowing, but I am saying this is going to be a problem of ours," he added. Sklar believes producers are going to have to help educate the newly-elected officials and protect the ag industry, especially with a $5 million deficit expected in the Texas budget. "We're no longer at a time that we can expect our elected officials to look after us," explained Sklar. "It's going to be up to you folks out here (producers) and me to educate these people in a short time, because the legislature starts in January and ends in May. We don't have a large window of opportunity to let them know what's going on." Another area needing attention, according to Sklar, is the protection of Texas A&M University and Texas Cooperative Extension agents, because of the research and information they share with the ag industry. While Sklar noted many producers believe they are past their "prime" to be activists, he said they need to talk to their families and friends, as well as their congressmen, and help draw the next generation into the industry to keep it going. In closing, he said he believes issues concerning water, transportation and the general quality of life in rural Texas needs to be a priority for all concerned, as it is for the ICA. |
