Texas Farm Bureau

Texas Farm Bureau
Name	Texas Farm Bureau
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	1933
Headquarters	Austin, Texas
Region served	Texas
Membership	Farmers and ranchers
Leader title	President

Texas Farm Bureau is a statewide farm organization founded in 1933 that represents agricultural producers in Texas, focusing on policy advocacy, member services, and rural outreach. It connects farmers and ranchers across Texas through county and regional structures while engaging with state and federal institutions on issues affecting production agriculture. The organization operates alongside commodity groups, cooperative extensions, and agricultural research institutions to influence legislation and provide education.

History

The organization was established during the Great Depression era alongside movements such as the New Deal and agricultural responses connected to the Dust Bowl crisis, paralleling developments in groups like the American Farm Bureau Federation and state-level associations in Georgia (U.S. state), California, and Iowa. Early leaders worked with figures from the Texas Legislature and agricultural academics from Texas A&M University and Prairie View A&M University to address farm credit shortages and crop destruction linked to the Agricultural Adjustment Act. Over decades the group navigated shifts in commodity markets influenced by events like World War II, the Green Revolution, and trade policy changes following the establishment of the World Trade Organization. It adapted to regional transformations including the expansion of the Interstate Highway System and the growth of urban centers such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, which altered land use and rural demographics.

Organization and Leadership

Governance is structured through county and district delegations that send representatives to a statewide body, mirroring models used by the American Farm Bureau Federation and other federated nonprofits like the National Farmers Union. Leadership roles include a president, vice presidents, and a board of directors who liaise with agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture. Executive staff collaborate with agricultural economists from institutions including Texas Tech University and University of Texas at Austin for policy analysis. The organization has engaged notable Texas figures and elected officials from the Texas State Legislature and members of the United States Congress on agricultural panels and advisory boards.

Membership and Programs

Membership draws producers involved in commodities such as cattle, cotton, corn, hay, poultry, rice, sorghum, wheat, dairy, and specialty crops tied to regions like the Rio Grande Valley. Programs include county-level services similar to cooperative outreach provided by the Cooperative Extension Service and technical assistance paralleling work at the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Educational initiatives have partnered with organizations such as 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and land-grant universities for youth development and leadership training. Risk management offerings reference tools used in federal programs like the Farm Bill-authorized safety nets and crop insurance mechanisms administered by the Risk Management Agency.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The organization advocates on state and federal issues including water rights and allocation matters tied to the Rio Grande, interstate compacts like the Pecos River Compact, and infrastructure priorities connected to the Port of Houston and inland transportation corridors. It has engaged on regulatory topics involving the Environmental Protection Agency, grazing and rangeland policy affecting the Chihuahuan Desert and Great Plains, and energy issues intersecting with the Permian Basin and wind development in West Texas. Trade advocacy has referenced markets served through agreements such as North American Free Trade Agreement and its successor, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, and policy discussions with the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The group participates in coalition efforts alongside commodity organizations like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and commodity-specific associations from Texas Rice and Texas Cotton sectors.

Services and Publications

Services include insurance programs modeled on agricultural mutuals, farm management resources similar to offerings by Farm Credit System institutions, and legal or tax guidance informed by state tax codes and federal statutes administered by the Internal Revenue Service. Publications and communications have ranged from technical bulletins to periodicals covering production practices, market analysis, and policy briefs akin to reports by the Economic Research Service and state agricultural experiment stations. The organization issues newsletters, farm press releases, and digital resources that reference price signals from exchanges like the Chicago Board of Trade and market reports produced by the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.

Events and Outreach

Annual events include commodity meetings, county fairs, and leadership conferences that attract participants from institutions such as Texas FFA Association, land-grant universities, and agribusinesses headquartered in cities like Austin and Corpus Christi. Outreach efforts involve partnerships with disaster response entities including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state emergency management offices when addressing weather events like Hurricane Harvey and drought episodes monitored by the United States Drought Monitor. The organization also coordinates advocacy days and fly-ins to Washington, D.C., engaging members of the United States Congress and federal agencies to discuss farm policy and rural infrastructure.

Category:Agricultural organizations based in Texas