From the Texas Democratic Party Platform

Texas Democrats recognize that a strong agricultural economy is critical for all Texans, from agricultural producers to the people buying food at the grocery store.  We are committed to keeping the Texas agriculture industry a world leader and to supporting the family farmers and ranchers who make up its backbone.  We support:

• New leadership at the Texas Department of Agriculture that will devise an effective global marketing program to assist our producers in selling their products, including training in the use of new technology and the internet;
• Ensuring affordable, quality health care in rural areas through incentives to recruit and retain physicians and other health care providers, grants and zero interest loans for public hospitals, programs that bring enhanced medical technology to rural areas, and  equalizing Medicare reimbursements to rural hospitals;
• Making sure our rural areas have clean, pollution-free air and access to a clean and plentiful water supply;
• Stopping Rick Perry’s Trans-Texas Corridor, which could have a devastating effect on producers, property owners, and rural communities;
• Federal farm legislation that establishes minimum price support levels and economic protections for family farms;
• Working with Mexican officials to be sure that NAFTA works for, and not against, Texas agriculture;
• Assistance programs designed to deliver technological resources to rural regions;
• We also oppose the use of eminent domain to deprive any property owner of the possession, use, or the ability to control the use of their property, for the pure purpose of economic development.

3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."