Agricultural Economics Tailgate Forum Discusses Future Farm Programs

 

Attendees at the Texas A&M University department of agricultural economics tailgate program recently heard experts discuss the future of U.S. farm programs and agricultural trade, while sharing fellowship over food and drink prior to the Aggies win over the University of South Carolina.

 

The tailgate program has become an annual tradition, providing the opportunity for former students to return to A&M and hear more about farm issues affecting policy and the economy, said Dr. Parr Rosson, department head.

 

“It’s a great opportunity for our former students to come back to A&M and catch up on important issues farmers and ranchers are facing in Texas, and at the same time see old friends and enjoy a networking opportunity with our current students,” Rosson said. “We’d like to thank the many individuals who sponsored our tailgate activities as we had more than 650 take part in making this another successful event.”

 

Dr. Joe Outlaw, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M in College Station and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist, provided an update on agricultural policy. Outlaw said current issues include NAFTA and overall agricultural trade, heightened consumer interest in how food is produced, immigration and labor, low crop prices and the debate over the next farm bill.

 

Dr. Luis Ribera, director of the Center for North American Studies at Texas A&M and AgriLife Extension economist, College Station, discussed the importance of agricultural trade and the U.S. farm economy.

 

“The U.S. is the largest agricultural exporter with $135 billion worth of exports in 2016,” Ribera said. “Exports account for about 35 percent of agricultural income. U.S. imports totaled $115 billion in 2016, so both exports and imports contribute significant economic impacts.”

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.