By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) will host a webinar to discuss the future of Texas agriculture on Tuesday, June 16.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on Texas farmers and ranchers,” Regan Beck, TFB director of Government Affairs, said. “From fruits and vegetables to row crops, dairy and livestock, Texas agriculture is feeling the impacts of this global crisis.”
The webinar, “The Road Ahead for Texas Agriculture,” will provide an outlook on future congressional action by Rep. Mike Conaway, U.S. House Agriculture Committee ranking member and former chairman.
“The federal assistance, which we appreciate, doesn’t adequately cover the losses suffered by Texas farmers and ranchers,” Beck said. “Rep. Conaway will discuss the conversations that are happening in Congress related to additional funding that may potentially be available for agriculture.”
An economic analysis will be provided by Dr. Joe Outlaw and Dr. Bart Fischer of the Texas A&M University’s Agricultural & Food Policy Center. They will discuss factors impacting the markets for various crops and livestock.
A report recently released by the Agricultural & Food Policy Center estimates $6-$8 billion in possible losses for Texas agriculture.
“Agriculture is a major economic driver in Texas,” Beck said. “This webinar will allow farmers and ranchers to hear from top agricultural economists in Texas. They’ll discuss where we are with livestock and crops, how COVID-19 impacted the markets and what to expect going forward.”
Click here to register for the June 16 webinar via Zoom. The webinar will begin at 7:30 p.m. and is expected to last one hour.
Registration will remain open until the webinar begins.
Questions can be submitted in advance when registering online. Questions will also be accepted during the “Road Ahead for Texas Agriculture” webinar.
This is the first in a series of webinars for Texas farmers, ranchers and landowners TFB intends to host this summer in response to the cancellation of the TFB Summer Conference.
For more information, contact Beck at rbeck@txfb.org.