Thursday, March 19, 1998

Texas ag exports $3 billion and still growing

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Ag exports are important to all 50 states -- but especially so in Texas.

Dr. Ed Price told the overflow crowd at the 1998 Agri-Plex Ag Day in Ballinger Tuesday that Texas ag exports now surpass $3 billion annually and continue to increase.

Price is the assistant vice chancellor for International Agriculture at Texas A&M University in College Station.

The international specialist said Texas ag exports will almost certainly pass Illinois farm exports soon.

Overall, the United States moves more than $55 billion in U.S. agricultural exports.

Price said 45 percent of all U.S. ag exports now go to Pacific Rim countries.

China and Indonesia may become bigger players in the farm market.

When it comes to population, China, India, the United States and Indonesia are the big four.

But Indonesia, as the world's fourth most populated country with its 200 million people, has a long way to go in both agricultural production and consumption.

Currently, Indonesia needs wheat, sorghum an rice.

Hopefully, Price said, some USDA PL480 funding will be made available to help with exports to Indonesia. The PL480 program lets the government buy ag commodities to sell to foreign countries.

In addition, cotton also is needed by Indonesian textile mills.

Although China is the world's most populated country, Price notes that India may soon overtake China in population. India also could have a big impact on global agriculture.

In one of the more interesting ventures, Texas A&M scientists -- by special request -- traveled to Burma in an attempt to find some alternative crops to substitute for the opium production there. The farmers were receptive to finding new crops there, Price reported.

Beef exports to Mexico break record

Speaking of exports, U.S. beef exports to Mexico -- including variety meats -- broke a record in 1997.

U.S. beef exports totaled 145,959 metric tons, a 64 percent increase over a year earlier, and 28,238 tons more than the previous record set in 1994.

Gilbert Lonzano, director for the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Mexico, said the U.S. success in Mexico is due to an improving Mexican economy and to the industry's reaction to the peso devaluation of four years ago.

"Our reaction to Mexico's economic troubles was to concentrate on promoting lesser-valued cuts and educate food service personnel about how to use U.S. meat economically," Lozano noted.

It also included work with hotels and restaurants in the tourist sector, since a weak peso made Mexican vacations very affordable.

Strong sales of lesser-valued cuts kept important trade relations alive during the time, he noted.

Many of these same buyers are now buying a wider range of U.S. beef products.

Ivey clan of Cisco and Baird show top cattle

3I Farms of Cisco made a tremendous showing in the Open Red Brangus Show at the 1998 Houston Livestock Show.

Mickey Marie Ivey, 15, showed "M&M Super Red Stryker," a 29-month-old bull to "Grand Champion Red Brangus Bull" honors.

Her sister, Vanessa, 17, showed the Grand Champion Red Brangus Female of the show with "M&M Miss Fancy Two," a 13-month-old heifer.

Don Ivey, who operates 3I Farms at Cisco, is the father of the girls. Both the bull and female champs were bred by 3I Farms.

Mickey Marie is a freshman at Frenship and and Vanessa is a senior there.

Meanwhile, Sandy King Ivey of Baird came in fourth in the cow class with a two-year-old. She is married to Donnie Ivey, Don's son.

All together, the Ivey clan took eight first places at Houston -- their best showing there ever.

The show judge noted the top Ivey bull "had stoutness and power written all over him."

And the judge said of the grand female: "She had more expressed hip structure and the longest boedy in the competition -- and strong legs to cover a lot of ground, but still carry herself smoothly."