Mandates vs. Opportunities

As the final accounting for 2011 draws to a close, the U.S. Treasury Department will report that gasoline and diesel refiners paid roughly $6.8 million in penalties because they failed to blend their fuel with federally-required levels of cellulosic ethanol. Why did these refiners allegedly ignore Congress’ mandate to blend approximately 250 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol into their fuel for 2011?  It’s pretty simple, because there’s not enough of the product.

Despite some promising lab results, cellulosic ethanol is not in commercial production and nowhere near reaching your corner gas pump. In fact, it barely exists at all. How much more out of touch can our federal mandates get? I’m afraid to find out.

Possibly foreseeing the painful scenario, that often results when government tries to manipulate the marketplace, Congress allowed the Environmental Protection Agency to adjust the renewable fuel standards to better align consumption mandates and production capability. EPA revised the mandates, reducing the artificial demand for non-existent cellulosic ethanol to 6.6 million gallons for 2011 and 8.65 million gallons for 2012, far short of the 500 million gallons originally envisioned by Congress. Correct me if I’m wrong, but reducing the requirement for something that doesn’t exist does not make it magically appear.

The money paid in fines may be put to good use, however, when it helps repay the federal deficit from failed investments in cellulosic ethanol companies now in bankruptcy or mothballed due to technology failures.

There is a solution, however, in the form of a very different biofuel that is readily available and produced right here in Texas: biodiesel. Action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality removed a mandate requirement on costly fuel additives that had limited growth of the biodiesel market and raised the end costs to consumers. This change provides consumers with a less expensive product and one that is actually rooted in reality. Perhaps it is time to take advantage of existing opportunities rather than paying penalties for Congress’ unrealistic mandates.

Go For Gold During National School Breakfast Week

As people worldwide anticipate the Summer 2012 Olympic Games, Texas schools are getting an early jump on the excitement during the 2012 School Breakfast Week, March 5 - 9. Taking the national “Go for Gold” theme a step further, Texas is challenging children to participate in the weeklong Breakfast Olympics, which encourages physical activity alongside healthy breakfast choices.

This week, I visited Norman Elementary School in Austin and enjoyed meeting students, teachers, administrators and the nutrition staff. It was clear, the Norman Tigers are committed to going the extra mile to eat healthy and to win in the classroom and in life.  I appreciate the hospitality of all of those at the school.

Every school day, Texas serves breakfast to about 1.6 million children through the federally funded school breakfast program. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in school and on the field of play. They also are more likely to develop healthy eating habits that will follow them into adulthood. Unfortunately, poor nutrition equals chronic diseases that ultimately cost big dollars.  These costs are avoidable if we reinforce the importance of making good choices.

By embracing the 3E’s of Healthy Living — Education, Exercise and Eating Right — our children are better prepared to fight the growing obesity epidemic and less likely to be a burden on our nation’s health care system.

More than 3,400 Texas schools have pledged to participate in School Breakfast Week. For the sake of individual health and the future health of Texas, I encourage those students and their parents to make a nutritious breakfast part of the daily run for the gold. 

To see more about my visit to Norman Elementary, click here for news coverage of the event. 

Thanks To Our Farmers And Ranchers On National Agriculture Day

When I travel across the state and speak to groups of people, I often will ask, “How many of you are involved in agriculture?” Usually only few hands go up. I then ask, “How many of you are planning to eat today?” That’s when it starts to set in and people begin to understand agriculture is part of their everyday lives.

Today is National Agriculture Day, a time to celebrate our farmers, ranchers and other food producers. American farmers are more productive and efficient than ever before. According to the Texas Farm Bureau, each producer feeds 155 people in the U.S. and abroad. In 1960, the average farmer fed 46 people.

Our farmers and ranchers are responsible for providing us with the most abundant, most affordable and safest food supply in the world. The Texas agriculture industry employs one in seven working Texans and brings in, on average, more than $100 billion each year to the economy of our great state. I ask all Texans to take time and thank our farmers and ranchers by buying products from right here in the Lone Star State, and choosing those with the GO TEXAN mark.

 

It can be easy to take agriculture for granted in America, because our food is readily accessible and safe. For this, we are extremely fortunate, which gives us even more reason to recognize those who make it possible.

To our Texas farming and ranching families, I send my thanks and salute you for the hard work and commitment you put in each and every day to ensure we have food available whenever it’s time to eat.

A Hard-Won Texas Independence

Rugged individualism is a proud Texas trademark, but it sure didn’t happened by accident.

To the contrary, the roots of our Texas pride can be traced back to the Brazos River in Washington County where our brave forefathers and pioneering families declared our independence from Mexico and backed it up with fierce fighting and ultimate sacrifice. The date was March 2, 1836, and it marked the birth of a new republic that grew to be the greatest state in our nation.

The fears and unknowns were many on this date 176 years ago, but they could not overcome the underlying sense of determined certainty. Our earliest Texans were certain they wanted better lives for future generations. They were certain they wanted their own government. They were certain they could succeed.

From legendary heroes like Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Lorenzo de Zavala and Davy Crockett to the lesser-known men, women and children who supported them, our founders were equals in courage, grit and fortitude.

Mention Texas anywhere in the world and people immediately take interest. They may call it Texas mystique or Wild West mythology, but I prefer to call it true grit that would not settle. Their goal was achieved: a hard-won Texas Independence.

Happy Texas Independence Day and may God continue to bless the Lone Star State.

Presidents Day Reminds Us of the Powerful Legacy of Leadership

Politics will always stir vigorous debate and, thankfully, in America we are free to disagree. Fair or not, when all is said and done at the end of every four years, the person in the White House will be remembered favorably or not in the history of public opinion. Scrutiny comes with the territory, but so does respect for the office of the president.

As we celebrate Presidents Day today, we are reminded of two of our nation’s most revered heads of state: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Besides sharing the same birth month of February, both men are instantly – and rightfully – mentioned when talk turns to our nation’s greatest presidents.

Washington, of course, was a brilliant military mind who won our independence from Great Britain and later presided over the writing of the Constitution, which still represents the very core of America’s societal ideals. Lincoln guided us through the darkness of the Civil War with his prevailing voice of human liberty, which culminated with the freeing of the slaves – a feat that still stands as one of our country’s proudest and most defining moments.

The law of averages coupled with infinite other political and economic influences dictates that some presidents will overcome insurmountable odds while others will maintain the status quo or worse. They can’t all be Washington or Lincoln, but the office they hold deserves our respect.

On Presidents Day, let’s keep in mind the proud history of the White House. Its occupant may not always be to our liking, but the office's respect got us where we are. And where we are is a blessing that is still the envy of the rest of the world.

School Lunch Food Fight Tramples Parents Rights in North Carolina

A food fight in a North Carolina elementary school is leaving egg on the face of government and, quite frankly, it should.

In a gross case of government overstepping its bounds, a North Carolina preschooler was recently told her home-packed lunch was lacking in nutritional value and therefore was offered school-served chicken nuggets to compensate for the deficiency.

According to this story, the offending lunch was a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips. The story claims a school worker deemed the lunch not to be equivalent with USDA nutritional meal patterns and therefore felt obligated to make up the perceived deficiency.

As far as I’m concerned, parents have every right under the sun to pack their child’s lunch as they see fit. Furthermore, I can think of far worse lunches than a turkey and cheese sandwich. When government overreach extends into little Johnny’s lunchbox, something is egregiously wrong , and is symptomatic of a wrongheaded philosophy.

In Texas, school-served meals exceed federal nutrition standards. If parents choose to have their children eat food from the school cafeteria, they can do so knowing their kids are getting a good meal. If they chose instead to feed their child a home-packed lunch, they darn sure can do it without worrying about state government playing food police.

You know something serious is wrong when the federal government’s reach has extended so far that local governments are taking knee-jerk reactions like this simply to avoid a federal violation notice. This is yet another consequence of a federal government that is growing daily at an out-of-control pace that threatens the liberties upon which the United States of America was founded.  Not in my backyard!

Texan Elected Vice President of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

As the No.1 cattle-producing state in the nation, it’s only fitting that Texas would be home to the new vice president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Bob McCan, a lifelong cattleman and past president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), was recently elected to his new post at the annual NCBA meeting in Nashville, Tenn. A graduate of Texas A&M University, McCan is a former TSCRA director and a longtime ranch manager who oversees cattle operations in Victoria, Refugio and Bee counties.

McCan’s cattle industry expertise will be a tremendous asset to Texas and U.S. beef producers as they continue to feed our domestic population while also expanding to global markets. He also is uniquely qualified to lead the NCBA’s 230,000 total members as they continue their mission of advancing the economic, political and social interests of the U.S. cattle business.

Congratulations, Bob. Your well-deserved achievement and record of leadership success will have a profound impact on the Texas economy, food-safety standards and the beef industry here and abroad.

Hunting for the Truth

Extreme animal activists can shout all they want, but misguided good intentions are still, well, off-target.

In the latest round of emotional bluster going toe-to-toe with the truth, a controversial ruling by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aims to outlaw the hunting of endangered African antelopes that likely would face extinction if not for the Texas ranchers, breeders and, yes, hunters who preserve their populations and help them thrive.

Under the influence of animal activists, the USFWS would overturn a ruling that currently allows for the hunting of these animals on Texas wildlife game preserves. Fortunately, Rep. John R. Carter is speaking out against such action.

The simple fact is these animals are being saved from extinction by the people who perpetuate and respect their existence. Without the demand brought forth by ranchers and hunters, these antelopes would one day live only in museums alongside the long-doomed dinosaurs.

An animal population often does not exist if it is not nurtured and managed. Despite this reality, it seems extreme activists would rather have these majestic animals simply disappear. 

As an animal-caregiver for most of my life, I too would like to believe that a love for animals alone is enough to drive the goodwill of individuals to facilitate the sustainment of a species. But lesson after lesson has taught us that the expense of personal resources on a large scale is best driven by and requires the incentive of financial gain to support that expense.

I know some animal rights activists cringe at the thought of animal care giving resulting in individual financial gain, but realities are realities. And if someone gains financially from improving the welfare of the animal species, haven’t both interests been satisfied?

Somewhere in this shouting match is a lesson in moderation. Let’s hope Rep. Carter’s voice of reason can restore order. 

If you missed the ’60 Minutes’ story on this topic, here is a link to the story http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7396832n&tag=segementExtraScroller;housing.  

Proactive Texas Citrus Industry Stands Ready to Contain Disease

photo via Nathan Lambreacht, nlambrecht@themonitor.com

You can never be over-prepared for adversity, which is why we at the Texas Department of Agriculture worked with the Texas citrus industry over the past several years to prepare for the possibility of the detection of citrus greening in Texas. The destructive plant disease attacks citrus trees, but leaves the fruit unharmed and safe for consumption.

At a meeting with citrus growers and nursery operators in McAllen this week, I was encouraged to see our industry leaders take confident steps toward containing and combating this disease, which recently was detected in a tree located in a San Juan orange grove. The detection prompted an immediate quarantine of the impacted area and quickly mobilized our industry experts. Proactive, rather than reactive, our team is methodically implementing its strategy to protect our $140 million citrus industry.

While grove inspections, treatments and regulatory measures take effect, it’s important to remember Texas citrus is safe for consumption. Again, this disease attacks only the citrus tree and not the fruit itself.

Our industry had the foresight to know this day was coming. Thankfully, we also had the smarts to have a plan so we can continue enjoying quality Texas citrus.

MLK’s Dream Lives On

Today we celebrate the legacy of one of history’s greatest humanitarians and are reminded that diversity and equality of opportunity make the world a better place. 

In one of the finest speeches ever given, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned a dream in which all men are created equal and free to pursue lives of happiness and prosperity. He spoke of a world in which humankind was blind to prejudice and opposed to unjust persecution. He spoke of unity, civility and humility. 

Take notice of your fellow man today. Is he or she so much different than you? Don’t we all want peace for our families? Don’t we all have talents and compassion? Don’t we all have dreams? 

We are a better people when we share and celebrate our strengths, respect our faiths and reach out to one another. Dr. King held these truths to be self-evident and if we look at the world through honest eyes, his vision should be shared by us all. 

Today and always, let’s embrace and honor through our actions the dream of Dr. King.