Texas pecan farmers say pollution is killing trees

[douglas9]

HOUSTON — Orchard owner Leonard Baca had been watching his pecan trees slowly die for 12 years when he went into a washroom, put a gun in this mouth and killed himself.

The frustrated 73-year-old had spent thousands of dollars on technology and improvements to try to resolve the problem at his Central Texas ranch without ever learning what was killing the trees that had supported three generations of his family. Now, 18 years after his death, Baca's son-in-law, Harvey Hayek, believes he's solved the mystery: Sulfur dioxide pollution from a nearby coal-fired power plant has slowly killed two-thirds of his family's 250-acre pecan orchard.

On Monday, Hayek and other pecan growers held a news conference in Austin to demand compensation from the Lower Colorado River Authority, which operates the plant, and the city. They also want research done on what and how much pollution is being emitted now and how much will be discharged after the plant installs equipment aimed at reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, a component of acid rain.

"I've got several little 2-year-old grandkids and my own kids," said Hayek, who joined the family business in 1969 after marrying Baca's daughter, Carol. "If this wouldn't have happened, they could all have been enjoying the pecans. They could have had a family business and continued it on for who knows how many years. It's all been taken away from us."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/06/texas-pecan-farmers-say-pollution-is-killing-trees/

[onethatcares]

1. it's Texas

which ranks right up there with Floriduh in promoting corporatism. Nothing will be given to them for thier loss.

[Loki]

4. Governor Goodhair

who the stoopids re-elected this year, is fixin to relax that EPA standards in the state, thus promoting his idea of states rights. Says it cost businesses too much money. Well Texas, get ready to start breathing even worse air and drinking poisoned water because that's just what you all voted for. How in the world do people keep voting again and again against their best interests, and then when it doesn't, they can't figure out who just screwed them.

[GTurck]

14. Actually...

Goodhair won by a very small margin. Bill White ran a very good campaign and was well received all over the state but the turnout was small too. In my precinct only @22% overall. There were several Republicans who crossed over to vote for White. It still was not enough. Ranchers and farmers have traditionally leaned to the right/Republican side and in my precinct they predominate.
How do I know? I am the Democratic election judge and saw the turn-out and the end numbers. Please do not paint with such a broad brush. It is Texans and those who move here but are not considered Texans who will suffer the most from Republicans' winning.

[Anakin Skywalker]

2. .

.

[old mark]

3. Gosh-if only there were some kind of government agency to protect them....nt

[AikidoSoul]

13. What about the Corporation Protection Agency?

Whaaaaa? You never heard of them?

:evilgrin:

[Mimosa]

5. Pecans are sensitive trees. And they're nuts too!

Bananas Foster, pecan pie, brownies...

No substitutes for pecans.

[Vinca]

6. Tell it to the Governor.

[w8liftinglady]

7. I grew up in West Texas,where pecans grew well....until the oil fields took over.

unfortunately,we were warned for many years,but disregarded to get the mighty dollar.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. I was thinking the same thing that its tied to increased Fracking

I bet the studies will prove this later on since the water source could be tainted.

[Ichingcarpenter]

8. My Late Uncle was a Pecan Farmer in Oklahoma

He had to spray 15 times a year to protect against Southern Blight and stink bugs.
He grew award winning nuts. The family no longer owns the farm and had to sell to
a big Agribusiness in order to pay bills.
For years I got three grocery sacks of Pecans for Christmas from him. Harvest goes from October to December.

Pecans are a complete protein, containing significant amounts of 18 essential amino acids. They are a good source of energy, but are also high in fat. They also contain good amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, as well as vitamin B, C, Thiamin, and Niacin.

[w8liftinglady]

10. plus-they taste REALLY good...It breaks my heart.

[a la izquierda]

11. I live in Oklahoma...

they grow wild in my yard. The dogs love 'em, too. I can imagine they're a labor of love, though.

[Ichingcarpenter]

12. I worked on his farm in my youth and

it was tough work with long hours but gave them a decent middle class life
back then.