By Julie Tomascik
Editor

A trio of top officials in Washington, D.C. visited West Texas farmers and ranchers last week.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz toured an area farm and discussed agricultural issues facing farmers and ranchers on Friday, Sept. 22.

“We had an opportunity, just me and a few farmers, to discuss the current state of farming, specifically the cotton industry,” Jeremy Brown, a West Texas cotton farmer, told the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network.

Brown, a Dawson County farmer, stressed the need for cotton to be listed as a Title I commodity under the 2018 Farm Bill.

“Secretary Perdue comes from a state that grows cotton, so he’s familiar with the issue,” Brown said. “But this gave us an opportunity to bring the group to the fields, show them what we’re doing and also stress the importance of getting another cotton ginning cost-share program for the 2016 crop.”

Farmers also discussed the need for a strong safety net.

“Even though we have seen a little bump in prices recently, we’re still at break-even or right below break-even prices,” Brown, who also grows grains and peanuts, said. “Farming is a gamble, and we’re just trying to really bring it home to him. Perdue was understanding and perceptive to what we had to share with him.”

Brown shared issues that young farmers and ranchers are facing, including securing financing to grow their businesses.

“I think Secretary Perdue is going to try to do what he can within his range of authority and power to be there for us as we move forward,” Brown said. “Chairman Conaway and Senator Cruz hearing our story can also do nothing but help us moving forward.”

The group later met with agricultural industry leaders, farmers and ranchers at the Southwest Council of Agribusiness’ annual meeting.

Earlier last week, Perdue and Conaway also visited farms along the Gulf Coast that were affected by Hurricane Harvey.