Texas Representative believes Proposition 1 will be critical for farmers

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - This November, Texans will vote on Proposition 1, better known as the “Right to Farm and Ranch” amendment. It seeks to protect farmers and ranchers from so-called “nuisance ordinances.”

State Representative Kyle Kacal says this amendment is a much-needed update.

“I think if we go back two sessions, we passed a constitutional amendment for the right to hunt and fish,” he explains. “It makes perfect sense that we do the right to farm and ranch now. Obviously, we should have put that in the Texas Constitution on day one, when Texas was formed, but I’m glad we’re getting it done now.”

As an avid backer of Prop 1, Representative Kacal says this amendment would protect farmers and ranchers from regulations imposed by neighboring municipalities. For example, he says, “A hay producer near Dallas had a city ordinance where the grass couldn’t be over six inches. He made hay out of Johnson Grass. We all know Johnson Grass gets really, really tall. Obviously, the city didn’t like that, but we cannot impede on his or her ability to provide hay for cattle, and other animals, to make sure we are able to feed everybody.”

He says difficulties occur at the boundaries where rural and urban meet across Texas – where city and residential mandates often hinder farmers.

“As we move forward,” he says, “our legislatures will have less and less ‘ag-minded’ representation. We got very fortunate that we decided we needed to do this.”

The November vote will not only impact the future of Texas agriculture, warns Kacal, but consumers worldwide who rely on Texas agriculture.

“Coming out of COVID, after Winter Storm Uri, we’ve seen our shelves bare, and I think right now, people still have that in their memory banks. They don’t want to see that again. Hopefully, that will be another driving force to help protect our right to farm and ranch in Proposition 1 this November.”

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