Texas Association of Dairymen (TAD) Executive Director Darren Turley is calling on those with an interest in helping farmers to show their support.
This call comes in the wake of the expected death of HB2827, which was been fostered by TAD and supported through the house by representatives like Dewayne Burns of Burleson who carried the bill and Shelby Slawson of Stephenville, District 59 who supported it in the interest of local dairy producers.
If approved, the bill would change the permitting process of farms through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from individual to general permits.
Turley said this change would assist new producers in streamlining the permitting process, cutting the cost and giving them the ability to function without fear of lawsuits.
Turley said the ‘individual’ permitting problems has added extra obstacles to farmers already facing the costs of starting operations. He’s personally witnessed one young couple have to go to a TCEQ State Office Administrative hearing because a neighbor had an issue with the previous owner and the individual status makes the bar for complaints lower. The couple’s costs are expected to hit six digits just to begin their operation.
“It isn’t fair,” Turley said of the situation.
Turley was grateful for the support in the House but hasn’t found that same support in the senate.
In an effort to garner support, Turley has been seekingameetingwithSenator Brian Birdwell, who picked up the local area in redistricting. He also now represents the Waco area where HB2827 has found opposition.
Critics in that area state that the bill would make regulations more lax, leading to a potential pollution of the Bosque watershed.
Turley counters that the regulations in the Bosque area (such as the Total Maximum Daily Loads which are stricter than in many area of the state) will stay in place even with the amended permitting process.
“This area would stay strictereveningeneralpermit,” he asserted. “We’re going to continue to have monitoring stations and larger lagoons for the dairies here.”
Turley noted that Birdwell has had a busy legislative session but he hasn’t even been able to speak to the senator to state the case for dairy producers.
“I’ve been disappointed,” said Turley. “I like [Sen. Birdwell]. I think he’s been a good [senator] and have been shocked that he’s shunned us away the way he has.”
The bill has until Friday, May 19 to find support in a committee, but the lack of acknowledgment in the senate leaves little hope for action in that narrow window.
Turley said that TAD and the dairy producers will still seek a meeting in the interim and asks for local producers and supporters to contact the senator and let him know how important these issues are to local families and industry.
Birdwell can be reached by phone at (512) 463-0122 or by mail at: The Honorable Brian Birdwell, P.O. Box 12068, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711