By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Legislative updates, eminent domain and agricultural advocacy were among the topics highlighted during the Texas Farm Bureau Summer Leadership Conference.
More than 500 farmers and ranchers gathered in Marble Falls for the June 25-27 meeting.
Agriculture and trade perspectives were discussed with Deputy Director of Farmers for Free Trade Angela Hofman.
“We have a dispute with China we are trying to resolve. We are negotiating with Canada and Mexico. We are trying to protect our own intellectual property rights,” Hofmann said. “There’s just a lot happening at one time, so we are just trying to keep things calm and help folks understand and navigate what’s happening.”
Trade is important to Texas agriculture, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was implemented more than 20 years ago, has spurred economic growth in the state’s economy, Hofman said.
“Trade matters to Texas, whether you are exporting a billion dollars worth of goods to China or your most important markets of Mexico and Canada,” she said. “My message is that this is an opportunity to be actively engaged in what happens in terms of trade and what it means to agriculture. Most importantly, let’s get back into the business of doing more trade negotiations so we can sell more of our products overseas.”
EPA Region 6 Administrator Anne Idsal and Senior Director of Regulatory Relations for American Farm Bureau Federation Don Parrish discussed the Waters of the U.S. rule and other regulatory issues impacting agriculture and landowners.
A growing state with a strong appetite for new development has put a target on Texas private property, leaving landowners searching for fairness in eminent domain cases.
That was the subject of a panel with campaign consultant Rob Johnson, legal counsel Jim Bradbury and TFB Associate Legislative Director Marissa Patton.
The panel discussed eminent domain reform efforts in previous years. In the 86th Texas Legislature, Texans for Property Rights—a coalition of landowner and agricultural groups—will continue to push for landowner protections.
They encouraged farmers and ranchers who have faced condemnation through eminent domain to share their stories by uploading a short video to texansforpropertyrights.com.
“Eminent domain is going to be a priority for us in the upcoming legislative session. Private property owners often face an uphill battle in eminent domain cases,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Texas landowners need fairness and transparency in eminent domain proceedings, and that’s what we’re going to work toward.”
In addition to political advocacy, farmers and ranchers heard from Michelle Miller, the self-professed “Farm Babe,” about agricultural advocacy on social media.
Miller shared how she debunks food and agricultural myths on social media using personal knowledge and humor.
“Everywhere you go, there’s the opportunity to talk about the successes of our industry and to do some myth busting and to help people understand more about what we do as farmers,” Miller said in an interview with the TFB Radio Network.
She’s not one to shy away from tough topics.
“We have to get outside of our comfort zone and talk with others outside of agriculture,” Miller said. “We have to face the tough conversations and be transparent. That’s how we build relationships.”
Other agricultural advocacy presentations included targeting messages to the audience, outlining how to address different age groups when sharing agricultural information.
Representatives from TFB, the Texas FFA Association and Texas FFA Foundation discussed their agricultural advocacy efforts with youth leaders during a breakout session.
“We have to compete for the minds of our students,” Aaron Alejandro, Texas FFA Foundation executive director, said. “If we don’t tell them about agriculture, someone else will.”
County Farm Bureau leaders also shared their experience about political advocacy during a panel discussion.
During the conference, other breakout sessions included information on transportation and feral hogs.
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