By Russell Boening

Texas Farm Bureau President

It is my great honor to be selected president of Texas Farm Bureau by the voting delegates at our Corpus Christi convention. As that all sinks in, I’m eager to get started. We have a big job ahead, and there are many challenges.

To start with, it’s a legislative year. As a farmer, I know about taking care of the land and preparing the ground for a new crop. In only a few days, our elected representatives will return to Austin. That in itself is challenging, and we have to be ready. We will study the issues and develop relationships with state officials. Many of them have never been part of state government before. Others are now in a completely different role.

By Julie Tomascik

Turkeys, cows, kids and community activities. It’s a full load, but nothing Darrell Glaser can’t handle.

In fact, he prefers it that way.

His farm isn’t an 8-5 job with vacation and holidays. But it’s a family business he’s proud to be a part of. And a job he takes seriously.

Agriculture is in his blood. He has a master’s degree but chose to come back home to the family farm. He’s putting his college degrees to work, though, raising healthy turkeys and beef for you and me.

By Mike Barnett

I always heard that the only thing sure in life is death and taxes and you can be assured your estate will be taxed to death if it’s big enough when you die.

That’s why a headline in a recent American Farm Bureau Federation news release caught my attention. It noted that estate taxes are ripe for repeal with 218 co-sponsors—more than half of the House of Representatives—on board for legislation to permanently repeal the estate tax.

Not only would Texas Congressman Kevin Brady’s Death Tax Repeal Act, HR 2429, repeal estate taxes, it would maintain stepped-up basis.

By Shannon Sparks

Being a mother isn’t always easy. But it’s always worth it.

You want the best for your children, but sometimes you question the decisions you make. Do we buy the expensive baby swing or do we opt for the more economical one? What are the right food choices for nutrition and safety? Am I teaching my children the proper skills at the proper time?

The one thing I’ve always known was right was the decision my husband and I made to raise our children on our farm.

By Lee Brown

In the era of technology, it seems we’ve forgotten how to talk to each other and ask questions before making judgments. It’s becoming routine to see an article about today’s food supply with endless comments from folks who never took the time to ask a farmer about their food.

As a first generation rancher in Southeast Texas, I’ve faced numerous obstacles to raise my small commercial cattle herd. But no matter how difficult it may get, this business is something I have a passion for and it helps provide for my growing family.