KBTX - From the Ground Up
From The Ground Up Headlines
"Agricultural Regulations/Producer Uncertainty"
Last Updated: 7:34 PM 06/29/09 - As production agriculture continues its ongoing battle with Mother Nature, while striving to meet the demand for food from a growing population not only here at home, but around the world, producers look to the future with uncertainty because of political discussions that could impede production as we know it today. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
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Regulations and Agriculture
Last Updated: 5:08 PM 06/11/09 - Legislation being passed like California’s Proposition 2 that bans modern housing of livestock animals illustrates the additional challenges being faced today by production agriculture. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
"Dairy Month" - David Liere
Last Updated: 10:46 AM 06/04/09 - June is National Dairy Month and we thought it would be appropriate to talk with a local farmer about the challenges involved in running a family dairy. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.

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California’s Proposition 2
Last Updated: 7:17 PM 05/27/09 - In November of 2008, Proposition 2, or the Standards For Confining Farm Animals appeared on the ballot in California, where it passed with 63.5% of the vote. This legislation is predicted to have a huge negative impact on pork, veal, and egg production in the state. Bob French has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
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The Effects of Land Fragmentation
Last Updated: 8:55 PM 05/22/09 - Results from a recent study indicate significant losses in agricultural land acreage in Texas between 1997 and 2007. You might be surprised to learn that fragmentation of rural land can lead to much more than just a loss in capacity to produce food and fiber. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
The Texas Legislative Session Part 4
Last Updated: 11:15 AM 05/14/09 - In a typical session of the Texas legislature, agricultural interests spend most of their time playing defense, looking for bills that would harm agriculture, most with unintended consequences. However, there are instances when bills are passed that actually help agriculture. One of the first orders of business this session was to reintroduce private property rights legislation vetoed by Governor Rick Perry after the last session was over. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
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The Texas Legislative Session Part 3
Last Updated: 11:42 AM 05/07/09 - Last year Hurricane Dolly and Hurricane Ike took quite a toll on our state. Both storms blew boll weevils, major pests for cotton producers, north into areas that were pretty much free of infestation due to the Boll Weevil Eradication programs enacted all over the state. Senator Steve Ogden says that the legislature will find the money to re-start the program that is universally accepted as having been successful. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
The Texas Legislative Session Part 2
Last Updated: 11:22 PM 05/03/09 - For several years now, when the Texas legislature is in session, the board of directors from Producers Cooperative has gone to Austin for a day to meet with state senators, representatives, and other elected officials to try and stay abreast of anything our state government is doing that might effect agriculture. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
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The Texas Legislative Session
Last Updated: 7:21 PM 04/22/09 - With the Texas Legislature in session our cameras went to Austin to see what might be happening that could impact agricultural producers in our state. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.
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Alpacas
Last Updated: 2:21 PM 04/16/09 - As you’ve driven through rural areas of Texas you may have seen some exotic animals that you thought were llamas, but they very might have well been Alpacas. Alpacas are much smaller than llamas, and unlike llamas were not bred to be beasts of burden, but were bred specifically for their fiber. Joe Brown visits with some Grimes County Alpaca breeders in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
Cattle Markets
Last Updated: 8:36 PM 04/10/09 - With a severe drought and high production costs, it was no surprise that when the inventory report came out in January, there were over 700,000 fewer beef cows in the U.S. than a year ago. Even when all that is considered, the state of the economy is having the biggest impact on cattle prices. Beef supplies continue to contract, and they also continue to be sold at lower prices, as Joe Brown tells us in this week’s From The Ground Up. (Full Story)
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