Date: 1992-02-05
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I had the pleasure of participating in the presentation of the third annual Fort Worth StarTelegram Farm and Ranch Awards on January 10. These awards recognize some of Texas most skilled producers and marketers of food. fiber. and timber. More than 1.100 people were nominated by other farmers and ranchers. the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Texas Tech University. Texas A&M University. the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. agribusinesses. the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. the Texas Department of Agriculture. and others. The StarTelegram selects the honorees based on production. management. and marketing criteria and relies on the advice of hundreds of agricultural experts. As Worth Wren. Jr.. the farm writer for the StarTelegram. pointed out in the introduction to a series of articles on the honorees: Texas farmers and ranchers may have been drawn to the countryside for its peaceful beauty. cleaner air and fresh aroma of newlyplowed earth. But their economic survival and prosperity have required intense management and a willingness to adopt proven technology. adapt tools and methods to their own land and climate and retain the best practices of the past. The 26 honorees this year were: Peaches: McKinneys Sandyland FarmsGary. Sue. and Andrew McKinney and family of Mexia. Citrus: Jimmie and Barbara Steidinger of Donna. Ranch management: Lazy P RanchMatthew and Evelyn Johnson and family and the G.L. Potter Ranch owners of Crockett. Melons: Andrew and Sue Acuna and family of Montague. Hay: Kelly and Judy Moore and family of Vernon. Fish: Redfish UnlimitedDavid Maus. Roy OConnor. and families of Palacios. Rice: Garrett FarmsJacko and Nancy Garrett and family and staff of Danbury. Cotton: Weldon and Ann Rodgers and family of Padacuh. Horticulture/nursery: Womacks Nursery Co.-Larry Don. Lajoice. and Larry Jim Womack and families and staff of De Leon. Soybeans** Carl and Cathy Weets and family of Cooper. Dairy farming: Eugene. Jeanine. Danny. Michael. and Jeffrey Norwood and family of Star. Vegetables: Smith Potato Inc.Harold. Faye. David. Patricia. Danny. and Becky Smith. and Patricia and Randy Vines and families of Hart. Peanuts: Wade Pennington & SonsWade. Arvay. Troy. Glynn. and Stanley Pennington of Grapeland. Poultry: Ideal Poultry Breeding FarmsMonroe and Gary Fuchs. Janet Crouch and families of Cameron. Sheep/goats: Herman and Judy Moore and family of Brownwood. Pecans: Arthur. Debbie. Harold. and Dorothy Ivey and families of Tornillo. Beef cattle: Mayfair RanchesJim. Clay. and Shannon Theeck and families and Ida Jo Moran of Brenham. Horses: Diamond B. Ranch. Inc.Jack and Susan Brainard and staff of Aubrey. Timber: KeystoneGarrett PropertiesRobert L. and Betty Cargill. staff. forester and owners. Alligator/crawfish: Amos and Dora Roy of Mauriceville. Sugar cane: Arthur E. Beckwith. Benton Beckwith. and families of Progreso. Wheat: Kenneth and Pam Keisling and family of Dumas. Wildlife management: Slator RanchDebbie and Bart Gillan and family of Llano. Feed grains: Billy Bob. Elaine. Porter. Laura. Kevin. and Crystal Brown and families of Panhandle. Berries: Rocky Branch FarmsJim and Sally Walston. John and Barbara Robinson of Mexia. Hogs: Charles. Jeanette. David. and Cindy Graf and families of Vernon.