For Immediate Release: Sept. 9, 2011
Contact: Carmen Fenton, 512-469-0171
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Cattle raisers from across the state will gather for educational breakout sessions, networking and fellowship at the annual Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Fall Meeting Sept. 28-30. The meeting will take place at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock, Texas.
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, who also serves as the presiding officer of the Interagency Task Force on Economic Growth and Endangered Species, will speak to cattle raisers at 10:30 a.m. on the endangered species act and what landowners can do to protect their private property.
The breakout sessions, hosted by TSCRA committees, begin Thursday, Sept. 29, and will cover a variety of topics critical to Texas cattle producers and landowners. A schedule of sessions is below.
8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Marketing Breakout Session
Paul Colman, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Live Cattle Marketing Committee chair, will discuss the Eastern Livestock fraud, how it happened, what has been learned and how to prevent similar situations in the future. An update on the discontinuation of the Texas Department of Agriculture market reports will also be discussed at this session.
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Agricultural Research Breakout Session
Dr. Tiffanie Brooks, DVM, university veterinarian and instructor with Texas Tech University’s Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy, will discuss the threat of bioterrorism attacks against Texas cattlemen. Dr. Brooks will go in depth on how to recognize a biological terrorist attack in cattle, how to manage its effects, and how to prevent your cattle operation from experiencing such a disaster.
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Legislative and Tax Breakout Session
The Honorable Larry Combest, former chairman of the U.S. House Ag Committee, will address the debt ceiling/debt reduction debate and give his take on how it will affect ranchers and what it means for the state of our economy.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Wildlife Breakout Session
During this session, cattlemen will discuss TSCRA’s role in preventing the expansion of the endangered species act.
1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Joint Animal Health and Brand Inspection Breakout Session
Leann Saunders, president of IMI Global, will introduce the animal disease traceability framework from a national perspective, while Dr. Dee Ellis, state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, will discuss how the state will implement the proposed rule.
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Natural Resources and Environment Breakout Session
Marty Jones, partner with Sprouse Shrader Smith P.C., will discuss Senate Bill 332, the groundwater ownership bill, and what it really means to landowners. Rick Kellison, project director for the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation, will discuss how landowners can implement water conservation practices that help conserve groundwater.
For registration information and a complete schedule, visit www.tscra.org. The Overton Hotel is located at 2322 Mac Davis Lane, Lubbock, Texas 79401.
All members of the press are invited to attend. For media registration, please contact Carmen Fenton at [email protected]
The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 134-year-old trade organization. As the largest and oldest livestock association in Texas, TSCRA represents more than 15,000 beef cattle producers, ranching families and businesses who manage approximately 4 million head of cattle on 75.9 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma. TSCRA provides law enforcement and livestock inspection services, legislative and regulatory advocacy, industry news and information, insurance services and educational opportunities for its members and the industry.
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