Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association concluded its 2024 Summer Meeting Saturday, June 22, gathering the association’s board of directors, executive committee, four policy committees and its political action committee who laid the framework for the future of the association and the beef industry.

“As we approach the 89th Texas Legislative Session, we must strategically think about what is ahead for our industry,” said Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Carl Ray Polk, Jr. “This effort must be guided by our membership, who have a vested interest in the future of land and livestock in the Southwest.”

Committee meetings held earlier this spring provided a platform where members presented and drafted policies. These policies were then presented to the board of directors who passed, updated and renewed these policies for issues including property tax, animal health vaccines, groundwater rights, and wildfire prevention, mitigation and response.

“Issues both at the state and federal level have far reaching impacts to ranchers, landowners and wildlife managers,” Polk said. “Working to ensure fundamental private property rights are protected, regulatory overreach is avoided and safeguards are in place to protect the industry are top of mind.”

The meeting provided a platform to discuss many of these issues. Attendees heard from Rep. Ken King, chairman of the Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires, who discussed findings from the investigation and the need for policy to prevent future disasters. Other speakers throughout the event included: Parks Brown, Uhl Fitzsimmons, PLCC; Kent Bacus, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; Elizabeth Rumley, National Agricultural Law Center; Stacey Steinbach, Texas Water Conservation Association; and Dr. Alex Turner, National Animal Disease Traceability and Veterinary Accreditation Center, Veterinary Services.