E
NSURING THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO MEET OUR RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL needs is one of the major challenges Texas faces today and for the future. A booming population and a lingering drought have forced
each of us to evaluate our own water needs and those of our neighbors. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is committed to prioritiz- ing the state’s rural and agricultural needs so that all Texans, including cattle raisers, have the water they need to thrive. As of early March, 43 percent of the state was in moderate to excep-
tional drought. You don’t need me to tell you that an extreme lack of water threatens the livelihood of ranches, farms, cattle and crops, and affects the fl uctuating prices of beef and produce across the state and the entire country. The work done by cattle raisers and other agricultural indus- tries plays an immense role in Texas’ economic success, and we haven’t forgotten that. When the TWDB created the staff position of Rural and Agricultural
Texas Ombudsman in late 2013, we were in the midst of developing rules for administering the new State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), the fund overwhelmingly approved by voters (known as Propo- sition 6) to fi nance water projects in the state water plan. Legislators called for this important fund to be created after witness-
ing and experiencing the colossal drought that began in 2011 and caused devastating wildfi res and statewide burn bans. No industry suffered more from this drought than agriculture. The billions of dollars in agricultural losses, including the selling-off of cattle herds, had far-reaching economic effects. As a result, the State Legislature made sure that SWIFT would have
money set aside specifi cally for agricultural and rural water projects. A minimum of 10 percent of SWIFT funding each year will be dedicated to agricultural and rural projects, including agricultural conservation. SWIFT will benefi t the small and rural communities that so often serve as a hub for agriculture and the livestock industry. Securing water for these towns and surrounding areas now and in the future will only add to their growth and prosperity. Our fi rst Ombudsman, Doug Shaw, traveled more than 25,000 miles
to talk to folks from rural areas all over Texas about all of the TWDB’s fi nancial assistance programs and drought resources. Recently, we wel- comed Carmen Cernosek to the Ombudsman role, and she will continue to drive up and down country roads to support the voices of rural and agricultural interests in Texas.
Carlos Rubinstein, chairman, Texas Water Development Board
72 The Cattleman May 2015
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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