Cattle Raisers Government Affairs Roundup: Meetings, issues and more

As a function of TSCRA’s commitment to representing ranchers and landowners in Texas and across the Southwest, our governmental and public affairs office is hard at work tackling the issues important to the beef industry. The association’s team of knowledgeable and experienced representatives are out in the field both locally and nationally to defend landowner rights and the ranching way of life. Each week we will keep TSCRA members informed and up-to-date on the activities and issues taking place in Austin, Washington D.C. and around the globe. This week staff and leaders attended meetings with West Texas ASWCD, TAHC and the Texas Beef Issues Team.
This Week:
TSCRA staff were on hand this week for the West Texas Association of Soil and Water Conservation District’s Annual Meeting in Sterling City. TSCRA gave a government affairs report and visited with ranchers and landowners about topics that included the 85th Legislative Session, farm bill developments, and the status of federal tax reform.
TSCRA government affairs staff attended the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) meeting on Tuesday. The commission adopted new rules on Bovine trichomoniasis, also known as trich. The first revision allows for a more efficient test that is easier to collect and submit in a timely manner, while the second rule change requires more stringent interstate entry requirements to reduce the spread of trich. The revision requires testing for all bulls over 12 months of age, and also requires that any females entering the state from a known trich-positive herd or exposed to a trich-positive bull be sent directly to slaughter.
Additional rule changes were also proposed that related to anthrax, veterinary biologics, brucellosis, screwworms, scabies, equines and emergency response and management. Additional information on the meeting and newly-adopted and proposed rules can be found on the TAHC website here.
TSCRA also participated a meeting of the Texas Beef Issues Team, which is comprised of numerous cattle stakeholder groups in Texas. The workshop, held in Austin this week, was an opportunity for communications professionals from these groups to collaborate and refine communications strategies around issues that are important to cattle raisers.