NewsDrop-Dec-2024

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS

By: Isabel Martinez EAA Senior Permit & Conservation Coordinator

AGRICULTURE OUT WEST

We want to recognize and give a heartfelt thank you to the following individuals who helped make the inaugural “Agriculture Out West” series possible:

Working at the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) has taught me a great deal about the com munities that depend on the Edwards Aqui fer. Having lived most of my life in the San Antonio area, I grew up with an awareness that conserving the Edwards Aquifer was important. Little did I know that the Edwards Aquifer did a whole lot more besides provide the water I drank from my kitchen faucet. The Edwards Aquifer provides for over two mil lion people and serves as an important source of water for cities, towns, industries, and agri culture in South Central Texas. The mission of the EAA is to manage, enhance, and protect and this mission is accomplished through pro grams administered by the agency. One such

program is the Irrigation Efficiency Improve ment Program, which is the EAA’s water con servation grant program. Since the program’s inception in 2016, over $2.3 million dollars has been awarded to agriculture producers within the EAA jurisdiction. On several occa sions, the Texas Water Development Board’s Agricultural Water Conservation Grant Pro gram provided supplemental funding and in 2019, the program was awarded a Conservation & Reuse Award from the Texas Section of the American Water Works Association. The Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Program inspired the creation of the “Agriculture Out West” series featured in this year’s NewsDrop publications. While visiting with the permit

holders who received grant funding, I learned about their work in crop cultivation and saw the results of their labors – an abundance of fruits, vegetables, grasses and grains in their natural existence. Over the years, I realized I wanted to share these experiences. Throughout the year, EAA staff visited with var ious farmers to learn about the different crops that are grown within the EAA region. Crops are grown year-round in Medina and Uvalde counties therefore “Agriculture Out West” was able to feature how different crops are planted, grown, and harvested in every NewsDrop pub lication. This year’s features highlighted hay sprigging, cucumbers (grown for pickling), blooming sunflower fields, hay harvesting, and

cotton harvesting. Our visits also allowed us to learn about the career of an agriculture pro ducer. Producers would share stories about their upbringing, family history in farming, how irrigation technology has changed over the years and the importance of conserving the Edwards Aquifer for the future of our families and communities. We enjoyed our visits and gained a better appre ciation for our work at the EAA and for the livelihoods, traditions, and communities that depend on the Edwards Aquifer. The “Agricul ture Out West” series would not have been pos sible without the cooperation of the agriculture producers that allowed us to visit and watch all the hard work that goes into production.

Archie McFadin of McFadin Farms Nathan Phillips of McFadin Farms Anthony Sittre of Sittre Farms Cole Yanta of Yanta Hay Farms Edwin Yanta of Yanta Hay Farms Scott Yanta of Yanta Hay Farms

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