HORACE MCQUEEN: More Nonsense From Our Elected Leaders
There’s an old story that nothing is safe in Austin when the Texas Legislature is in session. From what we have seen in years past, this coming session may get lots of publicity—and do very little to earn the trust of taxpayers who pay the bills. There’s no question that some new laws will be passed and some laws will be repealed.
One sensible law on the books makes it a crime to “thrash” or harvest pecans from trees, unless the “thrasher” owns the property or has written permission from the landowner to harvest the nuts.
The penalty for breaking the pecan law is three months in jail and a $500 fine. (If the lawbreakers are caught by the landowner, the penalty may be more than the crook ever imagined.) Some members of our illustrious legislature are calling for the law to be repealed. Maybe these town folks don’t realize the value of pecans—and the cost to landowners when a crop is stolen.
It’s expected that lawmakers will also take up a bill to permit a known member of the Communist Party to run for office in the state. The upcoming legislative session needs to concentrate on what is important for Texans. Things like helping our schools, improving our roads and getting more for our tax dollars seems to me to be good starting points!
Mike Weaver is a farmer who raises poultry and other crops on his West Virginia farm. He is also President of the Organization for Competitive Markets.
That organization is trying to get the U.S. Congress, and state leaders in all fifty states, to come up with a plan to assist farmers in getting a fair price for their grain, livestock and poultry. OCM has taken on the task of convincing our politicians that the compulsory checkoff on beef and dairy cattle needs to be outlawed.
Weaver also takes issue with the U.S. Congress and their decision to scrap compulsory country of origin labels on beef, pork and lamb.
He says 90% of consumers want the labels—they want to know if that pork chop, or ground beef, came from Mexico, Canada, Brazil or other country. He also wants some rights established for farmers who are growing poultry or hogs under contract to processors and packers.
As it stands today, if a poultry or hog grower complains about mistreatment by the processor or packer, the words often fall on deaf ears. Weaver also says more and more dairy farmers are being forced into joining “co-ops” in order to sell their milk and take whatever is offered.
Lots of volunteer ryegrass is showing up in pastures. Some farmers have, or soon will, top dress the green crop with some fertilizer—especially Nitrogen.
If we can grow some high protein forage over the winter months, that will cut the purchased feed bill considerably.
