Monopolies in Agriculture; Taxes and bottlenecks ...economic Army Worms

To the Texas State Comptroller, Legislative Representatives in Austin, School Boards, and County Commissioners:

The decline of multigenerational agriculture in the United States and personally, in the great state of Texas, is a crisis exacerbated by numerous factors, many of which are within your power to mitigate. While this letter addresses just a few key issues—oppressive taxation and unnecessary local burdens—it illustrates how current practices are making it nearly impossible for farmers and ranchers to sustain their operations.

To the Texas Comptroller, School Boards, and County Commissioners:

Farmers and ranchers are being taxed out of existence. Crushing property taxes, sales taxes, and school district taxes are forcing producers to choose between paying their tax bills or investing in the seed, feed, and supplies required to grow food and raise livestock. While supporting education is vital, school boards must recognize that the weight of these taxes often falls disproportionately on agricultural producers. Without balance, these taxes are pushing multigenerational farmers and ranchers to the brink of extinction.

County commissioners must also reconsider how they allocate funds and assess rural landowners. High property tax rates and assessments that fail to account for the economic realities of agriculture are forcing families to sell land that has been in their care for generations. This isn’t just about fairness; it’s about ensuring that rural communities remain viable and can continue to contribute to the food supply chain.

Meanwhile, local producers are left to compete with cheaper imports, further eroding the viability of domestic agriculture. Imports now fill gaps in beef and other commodities—an embarrassing, anti-American reality for a country capable of feeding itself.

I understand that in most business models and industries—aligned with capitalism and our free market economy—companies facing such financial strain might fold or merge with another entity, that is simply not an option in agriculture. Unlike the fashion, music, or movie industries, the American people cannot survive without food. Agricultural commodities are not luxuries or entertainment; they are necessities that sustain our lives and our country.

Just as individuals cannot thrive on an unbalanced diet, our nation cannot endure on a reliance on imported food. Food security is national security, and failing to support domestic agriculture undermines both.

To Legislative Representatives:

Take meat production as an example. Small, independent ranchers carry the heaviest burdens while earning the least. For every dollar spent on beef, producers see just $0.03—despite raising, feeding, and caring for the cattle from start to finish. This system is broken, perpetuated by bottlenecks at slaughterhouses that manipulate supply and demand by throttling production. Where is the legislative action to break these bottlenecks?

The Bigger Picture:

I don’t want subsidies or handouts. I want fairness. I want the freedom to run my business without being taxed into oblivion, weighed down by unfair local policies, or manipulated by monopolistic practices in the industry. Addressing these issues isn’t about doing me a favor—it’s about ensuring the survival of an industry that feeds the nation.

If you fail to act, the consequences will be felt far beyond my ranch or my state. Fifteen years from now, don’t expect to find that local steak for your fundraising dinner, a good burger when you’re hungry, or fresh produce for your family. The multigenerational farmers and ranchers who have sustained you will be gone.

This is not just about taxes or local governance—these are only a few of the factors at play in the decline of American agriculture. Without action, the future of farming and ranching in this country is bleak. The time to act is now.

Sincerely, A 7th Generation Rancher

ps. I wrote this post for our business blog and thought it best to share with you here as well. I did change the name from "Monopolies in Agriculture; Taxes and bottlenecks Invade our Paychecks like Army Worms" for all you Karens out there looking to stir up trouble.

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