US: ON WINE: Budget cuts could be fatal toTexas wine
US: ON WINE: Budget cuts could be fatal toTexas wine
Mar 8, 2011 6
Texas — Texas's effort to balance its budget without exploring revenue options or touching rainy day funds creates casualties, from education to health care to the least of our brethren.
For the Texas wine industry, pain may not be tough but terminal.
The Legislative Budget Board recommends eliminating — not trimming — all funds appropriated to Texas Department of Agriculture supporting Texas's wine and grape industry.
Texas will eliminate $4.3 million for education, research, and marketing. Valuable personnel and experience will be tossed in the compost heap. Personnel will look for work elsewhere in states competing against Texas. Texas Tech and Texas A&M grape research projects will be major victims.
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