Wildlife Services, Texas

This strategic plan for Texas A&M AgriLife aims to transform agriculture and improve public health by focusing on enhancing food quality to combat diet-related chronic diseases. Key priorities include fostering the connection between people and food for improved physical and mental well-being, advancing agricultural science and technology, and engaging policymakers to drive evidence-based decisions. The ultimate goal is to ensure profitable and sustainable agriculture that meets evolving consumer demands and contributes to the comprehensive advancement of Texas.

This document outlines the "Learn Grow Eat & Go" (LGEG) program, a five-year research and extension project developed by USDA. The program aims to improve children's and families' health by integrating gardening, nutrition education, and physical activity. It encompasses four key areas: learning about plants, hands-on gardening and harvesting, experiencing fresh foods through sampling and cooking demonstrations, and engaging in physical and mind-boosting activities. Primarily designed for third-grade classrooms, the program is aligned with Texas's TEKS and STAAR assessments, and has demonstrated positive outcomes including increased fruit and vegetable consumption, reduced sugar-sweetened beverage intake, enhanced physical activity, and increased family engagement in healthy habits.

This document addresses the critical threat of Citrus Greening, a devastating bacterial disease impacting the global citrus industry, by outlining efforts to develop and disseminate solutions. Key focus areas include overcoming challenges in studying unculturable pathogens through new technologies like "hay root technology," identifying novel antimicrobial peptides, and exploring alternative small chemistries as treatments beyond tetracycline to mitigate environmental and resistance concerns. The intended outcome is to provide effective solutions to growers, thereby saving the citrus industry and preventing billions in annual crop losses.

The session focused on incorporating the farmer's perspective into discussions, emphasizing that farmers are agents of change, not just target populations. Panelists from Hefer International and organizations in Guatemala and Honduras shared insights. Key discussion points included proposals for investment strategies, emphasizing long-term relationships and social capital building. Specific programs like Promesa in Central America were highlighted, focusing on climate change adaptation, nutritional security in the dry corridor, and connecting farmers to markets. Proposals included expanding the analysis of immigration from an end-to-end perspective, focusing on economic and social potential. Specific recommendations involved looking beyond current focus areas for high-value crops (beyond coffee, cocoa, cardamom) and prioritizing investments in strengthening farmer-owned organizations, efficient production methods like water catchment for irrigation, micro-credits with favorable rates, training for youth and women, and promoting entrepreneurship. The Honduran representative detailed their focus on achieving international certifications (Rainforest, Fair Trade, Organic) to improve coffee quality and market competitiveness, and shared historical context regarding agricultural development.

The Texas Wildlife Services program strategic plan emphasizes providing effective predation management for livestock and wildlife, managing the increasing feral hog program, prioritizing beaver damage management for public infrastructure, maintaining bird damage management, and supporting other agricultural/wildlife issues. It also focuses on valuing and investing in people by providing competitive pay, professional development, and high-quality equipment. The plan promotes developing methods by encouraging field employees to share specialized techniques and tools and emphasizes information and communication through electronic communication, meetings, newsletters, and outreach tools to ensure high-quality service to the citizens of Texas.