The Joint Committee on Agricultural Policy  
         76th Legislature 
         May 31, 2000 
         9:00 a.m. 
         El Campo City Hall, City Council Chamber, El Campo, Texas 77437 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted on May 18, 2000, the House Committee  
         on  met in a public hearing and was called to order by the  
         chair, Representative Haywood, at 9:19 p.m. 
          
         The roll was answered as follows: 
          
         Present:  Representatives Haywood; Swinford; Armbrister; Cook;  
                   McReynolds; Turner, Bob (6). 
          
         Absent:   Representatives Bivins; Ogden (2). 
          
         A quorum was present. 
          
         Senator Haywood made a brief introduction.   
         Chairman Swinford, Representative Cook, and Senator Armbrister  
         made opening statements. 
          
         (Representative Cook in chair.) 
          
         Chairman Cook recognized the following people to testify before  
         the committee: 
          
         Mayor Ken Martin, El Campo 
         Becca Socha, El Campo Chamber of Commerce 
         Tom Bodangen 
         Ray Prewitt, Texas Citrus Mutual 
         Fritz Jaenike, Texas Aquaculture Association 
         Jim Eckstrom 
         Fred Werkenthin, Texas Aquaculture Association 
         Bill Harrison, First National Bank of Eagle Lake 
         Sam Chiles, El Campo Production Credit Assoc. 
         Donald Patman, Texas Farm Bureau 
         Joe Maley, Texas Farm Bureau 
         Carl Foshee, Coastal Plains Agri-Business Incubator Systems,  
         Inc. 
         Jimmy Roppolo, Farmer's Co-op of El Campo 
         Julie Shackelford, American Farmland Trust 
         Ronald Gertson 
         Haskell L. Simon, Matagorda Co. Water Council 
         John McClung, Texas Produce Association 
         Edwin F. Gangel 
          
         Those registering but not testifying: 
         Trey Powers, Texas Dept. of Agriculture   
          
         At 3:02 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,  
         the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair. 
          
         ________________________ 
  
         Rep. Swinford, Co- Chair 
          
         ________________________ 
         Senator Haywood, Co-Chair 
          
         ________________________ 
         Courtney Trolinger, Clerk