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.

By Mike Barnett

The West Nile Virus outbreak in Dallas and attempts to control the mosquitoes that spread it show what a crazy old world this really is.

While people are dying and others sickened by the devastating disease, others petition the city to stop its insecticide spraying program because honeybees, dragonflies and ladybugs may fall victim.

Make no mistake about it—this is the worst outbreak of the West Nile Virus in years. Ten people have died in Dallas from the disease and 200 are sick. The city has issued a state of emergency. The national Centers for Disease Control said there are 693 cases nationwide and 26 deaths in 43 states. Big D is the epicenter of this outbreak.

Dear Farmer,

As a loyal customer, I am grateful for you and the other Texas farmers and ranchers who grow the fruits, vegetables, meat and other products that I buy and serve to my family. Each week, I know the shelves at my local grocery store will be stocked with a large variety of products with plenty of price, flavor and nutrition choices.

By Mike Barnett
The good thing about agriculture is there is no shortage of safe and affordable food for American consumers. The bad thing about agriculture is… Well, I’m hard put to say there’s anything bad about American agriculture…except maybe for some of the people who bite the hands that feed them.

That vocal minority likes to pick-pick-pick at the way our food is grown. The following may be inconvenient to their beliefs, but what better time than today—National Agriculture Day—to share five agriculture truths consumers need to know.

By Mike Barnett

Take one scoop of endangered species, two pinches of pesticide and two cups of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mix well and you have a recipe for disaster for Texas agriculture and America’s farmers and ranchers.

Two environmental groups are cooking up a bitter cake for farmers and ranchers as they have sued EPA in a challenge to the agency’s agricultural pesticide regulatory program.