Family Land Heritage Ceremony Honors Hardworking Texans

Today at the Texas Capitol I had the great pleasure and privilege of recognizing Texans who have kept their family land in continuous agricultural production for 100 years or more. Among the 119 properties recognized as part of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s 36th Annual Family Land Heritage ceremony were six family operations marking 150 years and another celebrating an incredible 200 years. The amount of hard work and dedication that passes through generations in order to achieve such elite milestones cannot be overstated.



Without the commitment of these farming and ranching families who proudly carry forth their ancestors’ legacies, Texas agriculture would not be the world-renowned powerhouse of productivity that today generates $100 billion each year. Farming and ranching is tough, hard work. It requires tenacity in the face of adversity such as unpredictable weather, crop-killing pests and economic downturns. It requires grit, sweat and an exhausting, rise-and-shine, roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic.

Even if you haven’t lived the farming and ranching life, you can appreciate it from a different perspective – the next time you sit down for a meal or go to the grocery store, remember that hardworking Texas farmers and ranchers are the reason we all enjoy the safest, most abundant and most affordable food supply in the world. Now that’s worth celebrating!

When Considering Land-Use and Water Policies, We Must be Mindful of Unintended Consequences

Oregon farmers and land owners are facing some interesting policy decisions as they reconsider a 1973 zoning regulation that was designed to maintain open space and preserve farmland, but may be resulting in the loss of operational farmland, hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars. According to some farmers, zoning land for agriculture only has limited the ability of orchards to maximize their land holdings, putting some in danger of going out of business and preventing others from raising capital to expand.

This demonstrates the need to understand markets and the consequences of policy decisions as we approach land use and water policy here in Texas. Water policy will be a major issue in the 2011 Legislative Session, and we must take a thoughtful and balanced approach that provides the flexibility for farmers and ranchers to continue producing the safest, most abundant and most affordable food supply in the nation while also maintaining the value of their land.