More than 1,100 farmers and ranchers from across the state convened Dec. 6-8 at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi for the Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) 81st annual meeting.
Brackish water, property rights and fertilizer regulations topped the list of concerns during the policy session.
“Delegates voted to protect landowners’ rights by including brackish water as part of their right to capture a fair share of groundwater beneath their property,” newly elected TFB President Russell Boening said. “We believe landowners own the groundwater in place beneath their land and that includes brackish water.”
Due to the ongoing Red River boundary dispute, additional emphasis was placed on protecting property rights.
Boening noted farmers and ranchers who have purchased titles and paid taxes on land should have priority standing in ownership disputes between parties, including state or federal governments.
Policy to improve ammonium nitrate storage regulations was passed.
“Ammonium nitrate is an important agricultural production tool,” Boening said. “Storage requirements are essential, but the fertilizer must remain affordable and accessible to farmers and ranchers.”
Delegates also voted to support the national beef checkoff established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985. They opposed the creation of a checkoff program under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Informational Act of 1996 as proposed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.