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TSCRA Daily News Update, May 2, 2008
Stephenville Beef Industry Town Hall Meeting draws biggest crowd yet State Rep. Sid Miller, R-District 59, Stephenville, chair of the Texas House Agriculture and Livestock Committee was a surprise speaker at the May 1 Beef IndustryTown Hall Meeting at Stephenville. More than 140 cattle producers from Erath and surrounding counties attended the meeting at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center.
From left are Mike McCravey, Texas Beef Council; Rep. Miller; Eldon White, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association; and Ross Wilson, Texas Cattle Feeders Association. Not shown is Richard Wortham, Texas Beef Council. At the time of this photo, Wortham was telling the audience about the history of the beef checkoff and the progress checkoff-funded research has made in improving the beef product and beef demand since the program was started morethan 20 years ago. TSCRA Past President John Dudley, Comanche, also a pastchairman of the Texas Beef Council, had earlier welcomed the crowd to the facility, saying he and his wife Ginger were in the same boat as the rest of the group – cattle producers attending a meeting to learn about their industry and ask questions of state leaders. Dr. Steve Hammack, Texas AgriLife Extension, welcomed everyone to the facility, explaining the work they do and the new name of this branch of the Texas A&M University System. As of the May 1 meeting, nearly 400 members of the cattle industry had had the chance to hear about issues facing the cattle industry at the state and national levels; the state of the beefcheckoff; and projections on cattle prices. Each of the town hall meetings allowed ample time for questions from the audience, and at the end of each meeting, a straw poll was taken to gauge support for increasing the beef checkoff from $1 to $2 per head. At the Stephenville meeting, the number of hands raised indicated a clear majority in favor of increasing the checkoff amount. Town hall meetings will continue the week of May 5 in the Panhandle towns of Perryton, Dumas, Lubbock and Hereford.
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