Ag Notes

Lifetime license

Texas residents may buy hunting and fishing licenses valid for the lifetime of the license holder.

The license exempts the holder from the state stamp endorsement requirements, but does not exempt the holder from the Federal Duck Stamp requirement.

The license also is not valid for commercial fur trapping.

Lifetime tags may be obtained at retailers each year at no fee.

Costs follow.

• Lifetime Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing, $1,000.

• Lifetime Resident Hunting, $600.

• Lifetime Resident Fishing, $600.

A lifetime resident hunting or fishing license can be upgraded to a lifetime resident combination hunting and fishing license for $400.

The license is for Texas residents only. Applications are available only at Texas Parks & Wildlife Department headquarters in Austin. Phone (800) 792- 1112, ext. 4759 for more information.

Elections

The deadline for eligible voters to return ballots to their local Farm Service Agency office for FSA county committee elections is Dec. 3.

Committee members apply their knowledge to make decisions on disaster and conservation payments, establishment of allotments and yields, producer appeals, employing FSA county executive directors and other local issues. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate in FSA programs. Agricultural producers in each county submitted candidate names during the nomination period last summer.

Eligible voters who do not receive ballots can obtain one at the local USDA Service Center FSA office.

Newly elected committee members and alternates will take office Jan. 1, 2008.

Close to 8,000 FSA county committee members meet monthly at more than 2,300 FSA offices nationwide. Each committee consists of three to five members who serve threeyear terms.

Approximately one-third of the county committee seats are up for election annually.

For more information about FSA county committees and programs, visit the website at www.fsa.usda.gov.

Theft deterrent

Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association's Operation Cow Thief offers rewards to citizens who provide information leading to the arrest and/ or grand jury indictment of individuals for theft of livestock or related property.

An informant may remain anonymous by giving a pseudonym and may be paid by cashier's check. The toll-free phone line, (888) 830-2333, is monitored 24 hours a day.

Operation Cow Thief is a charitable reward fund supported by voluntary, taxdeductible contributions from TSCRA members, non-members and corporate sponsorships.

To contribute, make checks payable to Operation Cow Thief, 1301 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth, TX 76102.

Land award

Nominations are being accepted for the American Farmland Trust 2008 Steward of the Land award.

The annual $10,000 award honors farmers or ranchers who best exemplify the AFT's mission of halting the loss of productive farmland and promoting farming practices that sustain a healthy environment.

Nomination forms will be accepted through Dec. 3 and can be completed online at www.farmland.org/programs/ award/default.asp.