My name is Brian Triplett and I am County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Smith County Texas. Smith County (county seat is Tyler) is located mid-way between Dallas, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana, on Interstate 20.
Smith County has a population of nearly 195,000 (2006 estimate) and a land mass of about 932 square miles. Tyler has a population of around 88,000 (2003 estimate). Smith County and Tyler are both growing, which is creating a population density of around 209 people per square mile, well above the 84 people estimated per square mile for the state as a whole.
Ecologically, the county is divided between the East Texas Pineywoods (eastern part of the county) and the Post Oak Savannah (western part of the county). Major agricultural enterprises for the county include; horticulture, beef cattle, forages, timber, and truck farming operations of fruit and vegetable crops. Agricultural income for Smith County in 2006 was
As our population grows, there is an increasing demand for housing, especially in the rural areas. The desire to own a piece of Texas drives the price per acre of land up and the average size of land owned by any one person down. As a result, the county has lost nearly 30,000 acres of farmland in the past forty years and we have seen a shift from larger, full-time agricultural operations to smaller, part-time operations.
Farmers that are faced with new, inexperienced neighbors who may not be as familiar with typical production practices must take the time to educate those across the fence about the importance of the food and fiber industry to our state and American agriculture’s role in feeding the world.
The goal of this blog is to provide a forum for timely information related to livestock, forage, and natural resources issues facing Smith County area. I look forward to your readership and comments.
Brian
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