By Gene Hall

Last week I was in Washington, D.C., and had the pleasure of interviewing U.S. Representative John Carter, who represents the 31^st District of Texas. Congressman Carter, along with fellow Texas Congressman Sam Johnson, is working hard on the U.S. House version of an immigration reform bill for our country.

It takes some Texas-sized courage to stick your neck out on a heated issue like immigration reform in Congress. For agriculture, though, a legal guest worker program is the difference between harvested crops and lost opportunity. No workers in the field… No crops from the field… No food for the people.

By Chandler Bowers

As I am top dressing wheat with fertilizer and herbicide, I am reminded of the sacrifices that we all must make to keep the world revolving for generations to come.

There are lots of sacrifices made by farm families in order to keep their businesses profitable. Long hours, seasonal vacations, the unpredictability of Mother Nature—these are just a few of the challenges that we face. And that’s just the beginning of the “lessons learned at the end of a dirt road.”

So, if these lessons are so great, why would young people come back to farm and ranch?

By Jessica Domel

I’m of the opinion that there’s nothing quite like a livestock show and rodeo. I’ve only been to a few in my life, but I have to say, there’s something about standing under the bright lights with my boots crunching fresh hay while the aroma of freshly cooked hot dogs fills the air. The sounds of children’s excitement as they crowd around a display of freshly-hatched chicks is just intoxicating.I forget how exciting it can be to see those first few moments of life, and I have to tell you, it’s something to behold.

By Justin Dauer

I’m often puzzled by the notion that livestock are abused in pursuit of the almighty dollar.

I know some of that sentiment is generated by images seen on television or the internet of animal mistreatment. Just to set the record straight, I think anyone who abuses livestock should be out of the business. I do not condone abuse of any animal for any reason. Neither do the other farmers and ranchers I know.

But I can tell you about the welfare of my livestock.

By John Paul Dineen III

My family is in the business of agriculture, helping to feed the people of our state, nation and world. I farm and ranch full time on the Blacklands of North Central Texas.  My wife, Heather, and I and our four children call Ellis County home, where we farm 1,800 acres of dryland crops. We also have a small commercial cow-calf operation.

Texas Food Connection Week, Feb. 17 -23, is being celebrated across the Lone Star State. I would like to talk with you about how we grow that food and the steps we take to ensure that food is safe, wholesome and nutritious.