2/03/2006

Texas Farm Bureau IGNORES Farmers Losing Farms. Call Executive Director Vernie Glasson at 254-751-2217 to tell him what you think. (Click Here)

at 2/03/2006
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1 comment:

Sal Costello said...

----- Original Message -----
From: Mickey Burleson
To: Cyndy Ross ; pam baker ; marcia snyder ; Nancy Glasscock ; wigwam
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 11:35 AM
Subject: Fw: TTC

Hi, Friends, Here's a copy of the objection I sent to the state farm bureau through its communications head, Gene Hall. You can go to the farm bureau website and make a comment there for others to read. I may do that as well. I believe you can do this whether or not you are a member of the Texas Farm Bureau.

----- Original Message -----
From: Mickey Burleson
To: Gene Hall
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 11:13 AM
Subject: TTC

Dear Gene,
You persuaded me last year that I should join the Texas Farm Bureau, which I did. Now I see the organization is turning its back on thousands of its members with its endorsement of Perry.
Are members even aware that the TTC plan calls for the direct destruction of 1.2 million acres of rural Texas lands? Just the four "high priority corridors" will consume directly more than 1/2 million acres of valuable agricultural lands. And that does not include the massive amounts of adjacent acreage which is expected to go to new development.
Fact is, one of the main reasons, as stated in TXDOT literature, for building the TTC is for "economic development." This should not be the business of the transportation department! It is Perry's business. He's bellied up to the developers with their big bucks, turning his back on the farmers who first put him in office.
As I've said before, with predicted population gains, we are going to need our prime agricultural land before the end of the century just to ensure we have enough food for our growing population which will expand at an even faster rate than previously predicted with new development along the TTC.
A former top conservationist for SCS has elaborated on the information I sent you earlier with the following comment:

"The U.S. is already becoming a net importer of many food commodities according to the latest census data. We simply cannot continue to have our best croplands indiscriminately destroyed by development such as the TTC. Otherwise, in our lifetime the U.S. could face being held hostage for food much like we are for energy. The social and economic consequences to our nation would be catastrophic."

The President has just this week in his state of the union speech emphasized the need for us to produce and use more ethanol. Texas croplands grow much of the corn needed for this product. Organizations like TXFB need to oppose leaders who would propose destroying what will likely add up to 2 million acres or more of valuable agricultural land. The loss of this basic natural resource is a long-range permanent cost not being figured in the total cost of the TTC.

Sadly, I cannot renew my membership in the farm bureau under the current leadership.

Your friend, Mickey Burleson

PS -- I have further comments in addition to the first ones I sent you (those I'd submitted to the EIS process). In a later email I'll send you a copy of a letter I've sent to the Federal Highway Administration with added points and also a recent summary I've put together. Maybe this information will prove useful in some manner.

4:50 PM, February 03, 2006

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