HORACE MCQUEEN: Another Day – Another Dollar

Dollars are hard to make, and easy to spend. As for rain, we need some slow soakers to get winter forages growing. Our few row crop farmers in our part of East Texas made some good yields of cotton and corn.

The remaining cotton gin in Houston County should turn our several thousand bales. Not like old times when cotton was a mainstay on many farms, but at least our few cotton farmers are still working the land and have a cotton gin nearby.

As for winter forages, ryegrass is starting to curl from lack of rain and those who planted small grains are also praying for moisture. When — and if — the rain comes the winter crops should offer some sustenance later on. Winter feeding is in full swing with some protein feeds costing less than a year ago. That’s good news!

The big North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico is being “renegotiated” by the President Trump folks. Biggest problem seems to be that our farmers raising grain and beef may find our market access to our neighbors severely limited if the old NAFTA agreements are not renewed.

Having traditional markets for the commodities produced on our farms and ranches means lower prices for their production.

A thriving market for feral hog meat across the big pond is in jeopardy of being lost. One farmer near Athens has been catching — and selling — hundreds of the wild beasts for several years to an outfit that processes the pork and ships the meat to Germany. The nasty little rascals are sold as “Texas Wild Boar” products. The farmer-friend says the best offer now is about 12-cents a pound.

One processer is said to be now selling the feral hogs to a major pet feed company and destined for dog food.

This certainly puts a crimp in the pocketbook of the wild hog trappers, holding pen operators and the processors.

It’s high time our politicians — Trump included — quit trying to build a billion dollar-plus wall on the U.S. and Mexico border. Just use the technology available to catch criminals that want to come to the “promised land.”

Let those who are willing to work and blend into our society come in and contribute their skills to the progress of our nation. Or, is that too simplistic?

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