From The Texas Farm Bureau

There is an ancient Chinese curse that sounds harmless until you think about it: “May you live in interesting times.”

Interesting times are challenging times. They can bring hardship. They can dash hopes and destroy dreams. Sometimes, however, lying right in the same ditch with all of our tough problems, are opportunities.

There’s no doubt about it. We live in interesting times. But as Farm Bureau members—as Texas farmers and ranchers—we refuse to be boxed in, and limited, by these “interesting times.”

We are completing a year of remarkable achievement. We meet here today and reflect on an all-time membership high. Our service programs continue to meet the needs of our members. Our programs are nationally recognized for excellence.

This year also included the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature. It was, in most respects, an okay session for Farm Bureau and agriculture, one in which we achieved several policy goals. Unfortunately, it was also defined by frustration on the issue of eminent domain reform, our top goal.

We’ve talked about eminent domain reform many times over the last three years. Today, I just want to thank you for the remarkable job you did in making sure Proposition 11 was passed in November.

Pass it did, by an overwhelming margin. Even as a poorly worded, bottom-of-the-ballot initiative, it was the top vote getter among them all.

That, my fellow Farm Bureau members, makes this vote a mandate for finishing the job on eminent domain reform.

There’s an old saying: “The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” We’ve carried away a bunch of stones on this issue, but we still have work to do.

We know Proposition 11 does not “fix” Texas’ terrible eminent domain law, as some of its opponents said. It does, however, set the stage for going forward.

There’s no question that some politicians running for office next year will try to hide behind Proposition 11. They will try to claim that it’s more than it really is. They will try to hide their own record and say that eminent domain is “fixed” in Texas.

We know it is not. They know it is not. And before we are done, all of Texas will know the job is not yet finished.

Farm Bureau members and leaders have kept this issue alive for more than two years. Now, we have to do so yet again. We’ve heard all the empty promises, and it’s time to hold some folks accountable for that.

Very soon now, the race for Texas governor will begin in earnest. You will hear much lip service paid to property rights. The heroes of the Alamo will be mentioned. Texas’ so called tradition of property rights will be held up as an example.

Andrew Carnegie once said: “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.” It is very easy to talk about property rights, but “watch what they do.”

We’ve heard all the talk. We’ve listened to all the rhetoric. If you take the time to examine the record, you will discover the truth.

We have many friends running for office in 2010 who need our help. We must be there for them. The issues we care about depend on it. With our work in the election season next year, we’ll set the stage for meeting our objectives in the next legislative session.

Texas Farm Bureau members are being called upon once again to make a difference. We live in interesting times, as the old curse says. But rather than view it that way, I see it as a challenge.

With your continued commitment, dedication and hard work, we will meet the challenges of these interesting times—confident that we can make them the best of times, a future of promise, hope and accomplishment for the rural families of Texas.