Greg Junek: Sunday Briefing

Mary McGown of Realty Center Management Inc. was installed 2008-2009 president of the Tyler Apartment Association on May 21.

She and a slate of new officers took their positions during a May 21 association meeting at the Potpourri House. Installing officer was George Allen from the Texas Apartment Association.

Other officers for the new year are Regina Wilson, Deerwood Apartments, first vice president; Jay Schulz, Enviro Care, second vice president; and Cheryl Brumett, Grande Hills Estates, secretary/treasurer.

The associations's board of directors consists of Mandy Poeschl, The Hudson Apartments; Alicia Mullins, Deerwood Apartments; Donna Trevino, TD Fitness; Sandy Durham, Bullard Creek Apartments; Joanne Ortiz, The Woodlands Apartments; and Gretchen Mobley, Wood Trails Apartments.

The association meets throughout the year and is comprised of rental housing owners, property management firms, product and service suppliers, builders, developers and others engaged in the multi-housing industry. For more information, go to www.tyleraptassoc.org.

The Texas Travel Industry Association, a statewide organization for the Texas travel and tourism industry and advocate for Texas tourism, will bring to Tyler one in its series of workshops designed to help Texas communities foster the development and growth of tourism.

The "Saddle Up! Rein in the Power of Tourism for Your Community" workshop has been scheduled for Tyler on Oct. 8. A time and location has not yet been announced.

Tyler is one of five smaller cities across the state that was picked for the workshop, which is scheduled from August through October. Presenting sponsor will be the Texas Department of Agriculture's GO TEXAN program, which promotes the products, culture and communities of Texas.

"Tourism is big business in Texas," said Paul Serff, TTIA president and chief executive officer. "In 2006, visitors to Texas directly contributed $53.8 billion to the state's economy, directly supporting 521,000 jobs and generating about $860 in tax revenue per Texas household. The Saddle Up workshops will provide communities with information and tools they can use to harness the power of tourism to boost their local economies."

The workshops will offer educational content, including the latest information and innovative tools and strategies communities can use to build and sustain local tourism success, according to information from the TTIA. They are designed to help local governments, visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, lodging facilities, attractions, restaurants, retail establishments and others involved in local tourism.

Topics including research, trends, development strategies, funding opportunities and marketing will be customized for each workshop based upon regional needs.

For more information about the workshops, contact David Teel with the TTIA at 512-476-4472.

Higher crop and livestock prices helped Texas agricultural production in 2007 reach a record $21.8 billion, according to a Texas AgriLife Extension Service report.

Purchases of other agricultural necessities, including tires, fuel and agribusiness supplies used to produce a crop added another $20.8 billion, making the total economic impact to rural Texas more than $42.6 billion, Dr. Carl Anderson, professor emeritus and AgriLife economist, said in the report from Texas A&M University.

"The economic impact to these rural communities is quite substantial, and even more so when you look at how much of an economic driver agriculture overall is to the state of Texas," said Anderson, who led the study.

The 2007 production mark topped the $16.9 billion recorded during the drought of 2006 and $18.4 billion recorded in 2005, Anderson said.

"Higher crop prices and strong livestock prices have contributed to a substantial increase in economic activities across the rural areas of Texas," Anderson said.

Increased demand for grain used in ethanol production pushed grain prices "up to the highest level in memory," Anderson said.

Crop values in 2007 totaled $10 billion - an increase of more than 50 percent from 2006, according to the annual AgriLife Extension survey of estimated agricultural production values for Texas counties.

"Crop yields, forage production and grazing conditions were excellent in 2007," Anderson said. "Corn, grain sorghum, wheat and hay prices were up sharply, with cotton moderately higher."

Wheat value hit $779 million, more than twice the 2006 amount. Food grains totaled $889 million, an 87 percent increase over the prior year, AgriLife Extension reported.

Feed crops totaled $3.3 million, for a 135 percent increase.

Anderson said livestock values increased 14 percent to $10 billion, matching 2007 crop values.

"The largest increase was 54 percent for $1.2 billion in milk sales," he said.

Poultry values rose 12 percent to $1.2 billion, while beef cattle totaled $7.1 billion (11 percent increase), according to the report.

Other meat animals (hogs, goats, sheep and other animals) rose to $375 million (2 percent increase) and livestock products of honey, mohair and wool declined 7 percent to $12.2 million.

Ag related activities that include aquaculture, fishing, furs and pelts, horses, hunting leases, outdoor land-based recreation, timber, Christmas trees and miscellaneous activities increased 4 percent to $1.9 billion. Timber accounted for about 42 percent, hunting about 26 percent and horses around 18 percent.

Rural land as an investment continues to be a growing trend, Anderson said.

Business Editor Greg Junek may be reached at 903-596-6280, or by e-mail at business@tylerpaper.com.

Greg Junek
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