Agriculture in Texas (Dallas, San Antonio, Austin: buying, to live in, prices)

[bale002]

News came out that consumer price inflation in southern Florida tops the nation at more than 5%. A gallon of milk is around $5, and one of the reasons is that the nearest centers of excess milk production are in the mid-west, so between the increase in corn-feed prices (re-allocation to ethanol production) and transport costs, the price has increased significantly.

This is the price to be paid when housing development, mainly geared for retirees, crowds out agricultural land: significant swathes of Florida used to be major cattle-grazing land, but no more.

What is the state of Texas agriculture? Is the state self-sufficient in any of the staple foods such a milk, wheat, vegetables, fruits? Are there local farmer's markets serving the major metropolitan areas? Or is the only choice for buying food a big chain supermarket?

Does anyone know of a good website, perhaps the State department of agriculture, that would provide a summary of the balance between production and consumption of the basics in the great state of Texas?

Thanks!

[doss1]

Hi Bale,
I don't know anything about the ag field, but I was listening to some podcasts about rural Texas towns and learned that North Texas is becoming the de-facto place for dairy production. From what I iundestand, you have Wisconsin dairy farmers moving down and buying large acreages in North Texas because it's cheaper to work there and the vast amounts of open land. North Texas is becoming the next dairy farm region.

[bale002]

Thanks TexasNick, an interesting tidbit.

I may be moving to DFW in the next 6-18 months, and it would be preferable to live in an area where local agriculture is within arms reach, so to speak. I think it will be an increasingly important issue going forward, especially in view of rising energy and transport costs.

I hope to receive more responses.

Do you know of, or go to, any farmer's market in or near San Antonio?

[Trainwreck20]

There are several weekly type farmers markets in Austin, so I assume, at the very least, there are weekly ones in SA. I don't know about any full-time farmers' markets, though.

[neddy]

In SA there might be some little ones but nothing big. Nothing on a regular basis I believe. You might ask on the SA board and see what ya get. I have lived there a lot of my life and they never did have a good one. Dallas has a good one.

[bale002]

Actually I'm more interested in DFW, since I may be moving there, so any detailed information on that area is particularly appreciated.

Still, the overall situation in Texas as a whole, but especially with regional breakdowns, is of high interest.

Thanks

[Philip T]

Not sure I am following the question behind the starting concept?

Are you asking about being involved in production, yourself? Or just wish to be a consumer of locally produced and available farm products? And to slice it further, talking about grain, veggies, and critters are also different things.

The basic driving factor in Texas Ag is water. Plenty in the East and Coast, and generally the further West (and uphill) you go the dryer it gets. Last year there were severe droughts, and folks around Dallas and West had to truck hay to cattle in the West. VERY expensive. This year there is so much rain, the lakes are overflowing.

For stable Ag production most of East Texas is pretty favorable with open farm markets in most little towns. The Farmers' Market in Dallas tends to be supplied from East Texas and the Rio Grande valley (aka "The Valley") according to season. There are large citrus areas down there and is very comparable to South Florida.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by Philip T

... just wish to be a consumer of locally produced and available farm products? And to slice it further, talking about grain, veggies, and critters are also different things.

....
For stable Ag production most of East Texas is pretty favorable with open farm markets in most little towns. The Farmers' Market in Dallas tends to be supplied from East Texas and the Rio Grande valley (aka "The Valley") according to season. There are large citrus areas down there and is very comparable to South Florida.

I have always believed in supporting local agriculture no matter where I live, and I am interested in consuming locally produced and available farm products, therefore I'd like to know where the main grain, vegetable, animal husbandry, and fruit-tree growing areas are, and in particular how the DFW area is supplied by in-state production.

You have already provided me with some helpful partial answers, very interesting, thank you.

I did find a US agricultural statistics site with interactive maps for all the states, including Texas, but viewing them requires installing a viewing software from Adobe which I couldn't get to work (I think the company stopped supporting it).

Any more information, suggestions?