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Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Texas farmers could have greater access to low-interest loans under a bill the Senate is considering
LUFKIN, Texas (AP) — Texas farmers and ranchers may get a new lifeline from state lawmakers. The Texas House has approved a bill that expands one of the state's most successful loan programs for the agriculture industry. That legislation, House Bill 43, is now up for debate in the Senate. The relief can't come quickly enough, said state Rep. Stan Kitzman, a Pattison Republican and the bill's author. 'What House Bill 43 does is it makes funds available to help these producers hang on,' Kitzman said. 'It's not subsidies like the federal program. It takes an existing program that's already at the Texas Department of Agriculture — the Young Farmer program — and expands that.' If approved, the legislation expands options available through the Young Farmer Grant Program and Young Farmer Interest Rate Reduction Program. These programs were created to provide grants or low-interest loans to new farmers between the ages of 18 and 46. Changes to the interest rate reduction program would be to permit anyone in agriculture, of any age, to apply for loans up to $1 million at an interest rate of 2%. Currently, 18 to 46 year olds can only apply for $500,000 loans at a 5% interest rate. The age restrictions are also eliminated from the grant program. Under the bill, grantees could receive up to $500,000 while paying a 10% match. Currently, grantees can only receive $20,000 and have to match it 100%. Businesses essential to agriculture, like a cotton gin, would also now be eligible to apply. The state's agricultural industry has faced numerous hardships in recent years, and more uncertainty is on the horizon. Farmers and ranchers, among the largest economic drivers of the state, lost more than $14 billion to extreme weather events alone during the last three years, according to the Texas Farm Bureau. The federal government also has not upheld its end as far as support for agriculture as farmers have come to expect, Kitzman said. For instance, Congress has failed to update the nation's farming laws, which were set to expire last year. Only in a last-minute deal did they extend the status quo. Now there is worry about the lasting impact of President Donald Trump's trade war. In a state that took the reins on border security and water, Kitzman doesn't see why Texas can't do the same for farmers. 'If the feds can't take care of their business then maybe the state is going to have to show a little more initiative,' he said. While the bill expands the program to service more than just younger farmers, Kitzman doesn't want it to completely hedge them out, he said. An entire generation of farmers is preparing to retire without anyone to take their place and the Young Farmers program was originally designed to address that. But the problem is much larger than just succession planning. Between 2017 and 2022, nearly every state in the union lost farms, but Texas led the way with nearly 18,000 farm operations going under, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dozens of East Texas counties, for example, watched as thousands of farms disappeared. Kitzman is worried about what will happen to the country if the U.S. has to import more of its food from other countries. 'Food security is national security. These people are protecting America by growing our food,' he said. 'When other people control your food supply, you're in a perilous place. History just shows that, over and over and over.' Rodney Schronk is a fifth-generation farmer whose son is getting ready to step up to the plate after graduating from Texas A&M University. Their family has grown cotton, corn, wheat, grain, sorghum and even the occasional sunflower on their land. But this has grown more and more difficult as time has passed and the agricultural environment changes. 'Agriculture in Texas is under direct attack,' Schronk said. 'Solar farms, commercial development and housing projects are destroying agriculture in Texas in a very large way.' Rather than helpful, he sees most moves by the Texas government as harmful to agriculture and worries about how that will impact his son as he prepares to take the helm. But HB 43 was refreshing to see, he said. The Young Farmers program was good to begin with, but Schronk sees nothing but good to come from expanding eligibility to include their partners in business. 'We need cotton gins,' Schronk said. 'We need warehouses to store our cotton. We need exporters that will ship our cotton and get it overseas to the markets. If we don't keep those in business, I can't grow cotton.' Several agriculture-based organizations and lobbyists have signaled support for the legislation. The Texas Farm Bureau, for example, considers HB 43 as a way to significantly improve the Young Farmer programs, according to spokesperson Gary Joiner. However, a House Research Organization bill analysis listed some concerns with the bill. It said unnamed critics believe the bill could: (asterisk) Compromise business competition in the state (asterisk) Require the state to provide significant funds to farmers who haven't adjusted their business models (asterisk) Potentially harm the young farmers the program was originally designed to help HB 43 passed the House 132-16 on April 23. It was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee, chaired by Sen. Charles Perry, on April 24. The committee met on Monday, but did not discuss it. ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas farmers could have greater access to low-interest loans under a bill the Senate is considering
LUFKIN — Texas farmers and ranchers may get a new lifeline from state lawmakers. The Texas House has approved a bill that expands one of the state's most successful loan programs for the agriculture industry. That legislation, House Bill 43, is now up for debate in the Senate. The relief can't come quickly enough, said state Rep. Stan Kitzman, a Pattison Republican and the bill's author. 'What House Bill 43 does is it makes funds available to help these producers hang on,' Kitzman said. 'It's not subsidies like the federal program. It takes an existing program that's already at the Texas Department of Agriculture — the Young Farmer program — and expands that.' If approved, the legislation expands options available through the Young Farmer Grant Program and Young Farmer Interest Rate Reduction Program. These programs were created to provide grants or low-interest loans to new farmers between the ages of 18 and 46. Changes to the interest rate reduction program would be to permit anyone in agriculture, of any age, to apply for loans up to $1 million at an interest rate of 2%. Currently, 18 to 46 year olds can only apply for $500,000 loans at a 5% interest rate. The age restrictions are also eliminated from the grant program. Under the bill, grantees could receive up to $500,000 while paying a 10% match. Currently, grantees can only receive $20,000 and have to match it 100%. Businesses essential to agriculture, like a cotton gin, would also now be eligible to apply. The state's agricultural industry has faced numerous hardships in recent years, and more uncertainty is on the horizon. Farmers and ranchers, among the largest economic drivers of the state, lost more than $14 billion to extreme weather events alone during the last three years, according to the Texas Farm Bureau. The federal government also has not upheld its end as far as support for agriculture as farmers have come to expect, Kitzman said. For instance, Congress has failed to update the nation's farming laws, which were set to expire last year. Only in a last-minute deal did they extend the status quo. Now there is worry about the lasting impact of President Donald Trump's trade war. In a state that took the reins on border security and water, Kitzman doesn't see why Texas can't do the same for farmers. 'If the feds can't take care of their business then maybe the state is going to have to show a little more initiative,' he said. While the bill expands the program to service more than just younger farmers, Kitzman doesn't want it to completely hedge them out, he said. An entire generation of farmers is preparing to retire without anyone to take their place and the Young Farmers program was originally designed to address that. But the problem is much larger than just succession planning. Between 2017 and 2022, nearly every state in the union lost farms, but Texas led the way with nearly 18,000 farm operations going under, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dozens of East Texas counties, for example, watched as thousands of farms disappeared. Kitzman is worried about what will happen to the country if the U.S. has to import more of its food from other countries. 'Food security is national security. These people are protecting America by growing our food,' he said. 'When other people control your food supply, you're in a perilous place. History just shows that, over and over and over.' Rodney Schronk is a fifth-generation farmer whose son is getting ready to step up to the plate after graduating from Texas A&M University. Their family has grown cotton, corn, wheat, grain, sorghum and even the occasional sunflower on their land. But this has grown more and more difficult as time has passed and the agricultural environment changes. 'Agriculture in Texas is under direct attack,' Schronk said. 'Solar farms, commercial development and housing projects are destroying agriculture in Texas in a very large way.' Rather than helpful, he sees most moves by the Texas government as harmful to agriculture and worries about how that will impact his son as he prepares to take the helm. But HB 43 was refreshing to see, he said. The Young Farmers program was good to begin with, but Schronk sees nothing but good to come from expanding eligibility to include their partners in business. 'We need cotton gins,' Schronk said. 'We need warehouses to store our cotton. We need exporters that will ship our cotton and get it overseas to the markets. If we don't keep those in business, I can't grow cotton.' Several agriculture-based organizations and lobbyists have signaled support for the legislation. The Texas Farm Bureau, for example, considers HB 43 as a way to significantly improve the Young Farmer programs, according to spokesperson Gary Joiner. However, a House Research Organization bill analysis listed some concerns with the bill. It said unnamed critics believe the bill could: * Compromise business competition in the state * Require the state to provide significant funds to farmers who haven't adjusted their business models * Potentially harm the young farmers the program was originally designed to help HB 43 passed the House 132-16 on April 23. It was sent to the Senate where it was referred to the Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs committee, chaired by Sen. Charles Perry, on April 24. The committee met on Monday, but did not discuss it. Disclosure: Texas A&M University and Texas Farm Bureau have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Get tickets before May 1 and save big! TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeWine signs bill to help AACS following roof collapse
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 43 Monday. Now law, the bill was written to provide flexibility for graduation requirements, and waive not more than 24 of the required minimum number of hours a school building must be open with students in attendance. The bill was sponsored by Ohio State Representatives Sarah Fowler Arthur and David Thomas, whose districts encompass Ashtabula County. Lakeside High School's roof collapsed during the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm. Classes had to be temporarily canceled for Lakeside, and high school students were eventually moved to Huron Primary and Lakeside 9. Thomas was happy for the bill's support from both chambers, he said. '[I'm] very happy the governor signed it,' he said. Fowler Arthur said it was very important DeWine signed the bill before May, so it could have the greatest positive impact for the district and students. 'He recognized the urgency,' she said. Ashtabula Area City Schools' funding next year could have been impacted had the bill not been signed, she said. Fowler Arthur said similar, but broader waivers were passed for school districts because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'There's an appropriate role for flexibility when a catastrophe hits,' she said. Thomas said it was hard to convince some legislators that it could be more costly for the district if the bill was not implemented. 'It was more difficult to get this across the finish line than I expected,' he said. Thomas said Fowler Arthur did a lot of the work to get the bill through the Ohio legislature. 'Our argument was really the school, students, and administration have been through enough,' he said. Fowler Arthur said it does not make sense to hold the school district responsible for an unprecedented event like the roof collapse. 'There was definitely was more opposition in the house than we expected,' she said. Fowler Arthur was thankful for the testimonies of AACS Superintendent Lisa Newsome, District Treasurer Mark Astorino, board member Laura Jones and Lakeside Principal Doug Wetherholt, she said. 'I don't think we could have gotten the bill across without the collaborative support,' she said. Newsome said the bill's signing means so much for the district. 'The students and the entire staff along with administration have been through so much this year,' she said. Newsome was grateful to testify in Columbus, she said. 'We are so appreciative and thankful for being heard and supported,' she said. Wetherholt was pleased to testify at the state capitol, he said. 'The bill signing is a tremendous relief for the high school staff and students that have been through so much and have shown great resilience in a stressful situation,' he said. Astorino said he was pleased the state legislature approved the request. Teacher's union president Maureen Surbella said the bill's implementation will give students a sense of normalcy. Lakeside senior Ana Wheelock said she was grateful for the governor signing the bill into law. 'Now we can enjoy the last few senior moments as we planned,' she said. Lakeside senior Rachel McClure is thankful she has less to worry about and can focus on graduation, she said.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ashtabula schools getting reimbursed for snowstorm
ASHTABULA — Ashtabula Area City School District Treasurer Mark Astorino said at a Wednesday meeting the district will be reimbursed around $258,000 for expenses from the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm. The state asked the district to pick its costliest days for reimbursement, he said. Astorino said the district's reimbursement is around 75% for the week of the snowstorm, not for the whole winter. 'Our total snow removal cost, with all the roof snow removal, the parking lots, all the heavy equipment to move snow, the extra salt and all the maintenance over time was in the mid-$400,000 range,' he said. Astorino is looking into how the reimbursement will affect the district, he said. 'We're working on an updated forecast, so we know where we'll finish the year at,' he said. Astorino's forecast will also analyze how potential state cuts to public education could affect the district, he said. Also at the meeting, the board approved an expenditure reduction plan. Superintendent Lisa Newsome said she and district administrators were looking at changes to enrollment, possible state-wide public education cuts and where the district could cut. 'Right now, it's at $2.1 million,' she said. Newsome said she does not want to be in the 'caution area' next year before the state finishes its budget. 'That's all I can cut right now,' she said. 'I'm not going to cut anymore until we get that budget.' Board President Scott Yopp said people have been shielded from how cuts could affect them. 'We are now to the point where you're going to see it impact things,' he said. The board approved bringing in Auburn Environmental to do an environmental study of Lakeside High School and GPRS to study the building's envelope. The high school's roof collapsed during the Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm. Board member and legislative liaison Laura Jones said she and Newsome went to Columbus Tuesday to testify to the Ohio State Senate in favor of House Bill 43. The bill was reported by senate committee and is going to the senate floor. Sponsored by Ohio State Representatives Sarah Fowler Arthur and David Thomas, HB 43 would provide flexibility for graduation requirements, and waive not more than 24 of the required minimum number of hours a school building must be open with students in attendance. Lakeside High School Principal Doug Wetherholt said at a board work session his students have been resilient. 'Our goal is to bring down discipline by about 15% from last year to this year,' he said. 'We've done a pretty good job. If you look at our suspensions, we went from 277 to 211.' Cell phone use in school is common, Wetherholt said. 'We tripled the amount of discipline we're doing with cell phones, just to try to get them off of that,' he said. Wetherholt said there have been more in-school suspensions that out-of-school suspensions. 'The major infractions have come down and we're addressing minor infractions,' he said. 'That's really where you want to live ... because kids are meant to make mistakes. They're going to make mistakes, and they just need to learn consequences.' The high school's staff have been resilient, too, Wetherholt said. The board voted to give district teachers a 2% raise over the next two years. Newsome said the teachers deserve the raise, because they put in extra work after the high school roof collapse. 'I wish I could give them more,' she said. 'With everything going on, they are working beyond their eight hours and beyond their 185 days.' Astorino's office received an award from the Ohio State Auditor's Office, he said. 'They were just starting that audit when the roof issue happened,' he said.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Ohio bill exempts local students from making up hours after roof collapse
SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – Ashtabula Area City School District Superintendent Lisa Newsome on Tuesday reacted to the news that Ohio lawmakers approved a bill that will allow Ashtabula high school seniors to graduate without the required class hours due to extreme winter weather. 'It's absolutely a victory,' Newsome said. 'Basically the 19 hours of instruction they missed back in December will not count against them in graduation. They wont have to make them up.' House Bill 43 exempts this year's senior class from the state mandated hours of instruction required to graduate after they missed three days of school following Lakeside High School's roof collapse back in December. Local dog lost during snowstorm found with high-tech help Photos from inside the high school showed the damage after sections of the roof buckled under the weight of four and a half feet of snow. 'We would never come and ask for forgiveness for a typical calamity day. This was extreme weather, like a tornado or a hurricane. It was devastation of our high school,' said Newsome. True Value distribution center in Westlake to close, 82 workers face layoffs The bill also exempts the district from the required number of hours that schools must be open to continue receiving state funding. Graduation is set for May 29. In the meantime, repairs continue at Lakeside High School. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
