Gary Joiner - Spokesman, Texas Farm Bureau Joins Houston's Morning News

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, So Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen masquerades as an
opinion writer. Sometimes there's an article he wrote for Fox
News about policy. He happens to not only be a
farm policy that is, he happens not only be governor,
he's also a farmer. So he's perfectly qualified to talk
about the fact that farmers and ranchers who are feeling
the pressure right now should not worry. Things are going

(00:21):
to get better. Le let's see what Gary Joyner has
to say. He's a spokesman for the Texas Farm Bureau. Gary,
good morning, How are you.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Good morning, Bob. I'm doing well. How are things It's good?

Speaker 1 (00:31):
Thank you, appreciate you spending a few minutes with us
here this morning. So, you know, obviously people are still
freaking out over the price of eggs, and critics, of course,
are going to go to Donald Trump say you said
that when Biden was president, the price of eggs was
a big deal, and now everybody is saying, no sweat.
What is your prognostication for not just Texas farmers, but generally,
you know, the farming industry and what it's going to

(00:51):
do to consumers.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Latest estimate we've received is actually from the US Department
of Agriculture. They rolled out a new comprehensive strategy to
tackle avian flu and the cost of eggs, multi prong approach.
But it's expected that those prices that we're paying at
the grocery store, which are record level right now, may
go up another forty percent this year until things get better,

(01:14):
and it may be summer until it gets better.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
And the Secretary of Agricultural Agriculture, Brook Rawlins, laid out
this plan and apparently it's a one billion dollar strategy
to lower grocery bills. But like you said, that's in
the long term, and maybe we don't get any of
that relief until the end of this year. Do you
think that the American consumers and in particular Trump voters
are going to have the patience for that, given you

(01:37):
know that he ran extensively on inflation as well as immigration.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
I think it's just going to take awareness and explanation
what's going on. Really, it's an economic supply and demand
issue right now. There are not enough birds in the
supply chain right now because so many over one hundred
and sixty million have been impacted by avian blue since
twenty twenty too. We've got to recover those bird populations

(02:03):
before the egg supply reaches normal levels. There's ways to
do that, and the government and private industries are working
to do that. But it's going to take a few months.
But I think we're going to get there.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Typically, Gary, how long does it take for you know,
you know, hens to repopulate if you will in a
situation like this.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Several weeks you have to grow the birds, you have
to begin positioning them for a production. I mean we're
talking in some cases over a million birds in some
commercial facilities being depopulated to control the spread of avian flus,
So it takes time for those numbers to recover. Short term,
we may be looking at bringing in some eggs from

(02:46):
some of our trading partners under certain provisions, as well
as finding ways to improve production in areas that right
now may not be as strong as it could be.
So it's a comprehensive approach, several pieces to it, but
it's going to take a few months to get there.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Are you as optimistic, Gary as the governor of Nebraska is? Again,
you know, he wrote this piece and he's a farmer,
and he says with great optimism in renewed partnerships. This
season of leadership and newfound opportunity will lead to a
long lasting period of abundance and cheaper eggs for the
American people.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Do you share that view, Texas farmers as rangers. I
do think share that view. I think this is an
appropriate step. It's investing another one billion dollars into the
problem with an investment of two billion already in play.
So they're putting the money in the right spots. They're
focusing on the areas that can be improved short term
and made better long term. So I think it was

(03:39):
well received. The Secretary of Agricultures from Texas. She understands agriculture,
she understands Texas agriculture, and we think she's in a
good spot direct to direct this going forward.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
That's good news. Indeed. Gary Joyner, spokesman for the Texas
Farm Bureau, laid it out for us. Gary, thanks so
much for the time this morning. We appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
You bet, my pleasure