Much of the afternoon discussion was focused on high input costs or the three f's (fuel, feed and fertilizer). Ron Gill, Texas AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist, said ranchers have gotten lazy over the past few years, enjoying high calf prices. They've also done a lot of wasteful driving, many in pickups they purchased that were too expensive and too big for the operation.
"You would be amazed at how much nonproductive driving we've done when there was cheap energy prices," he said. He also referenced to the many large pickup trucks parked inside the Texas A&M parking garage and how many would have bought a diesel pickup at a time when diesel was .70 cents a gallon more than gasoline.
"How many of us love driving those diesel pickups? More than necessary."
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
Dr. Ron Gill, Texas AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist. (Photo by Blair Fannin, AgriLife Communications)
General session attendees before the start of the afternoon program. (Photo by Jerrold Summerlin, AgriLife Communications)
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